NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon founder Jeff Bezos said he will give away the majority of his wealth during his lifetime, becoming the latest billionaire to pledge to donate much of his vast fortune.
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Bezos, whose “real-time” worth Forbes magazine estimates at roughly $124.1 billion, made the announcement in a joint CNN interview with his girlfriend Lauren Sanchez that was released on Monday. The billionaire didn’t specify how – or to whom – he will give away the money, but said the couple were building the “capacity” to do it.
“The hard part is figuring out how to do it in a levered way,” Bezos said during the interview. “It’s not easy. Building Amazon was not easy. It took a lot of hard work and very smart teammates. And I’m finding – and Lauren’s finding – that philanthropy is very similar. It’s not easy. It’s really hard.”
Exclusive: Jeff Bezos tells CNN that he'll give away the majority of his $124 billion net worth during his lifetime, the first time he's made such a promise. https://t.co/aqehwBAvw2 pic.twitter.com/hFUdLa9GYZ
— CNN (@CNN) November 14, 2022
Previously, Bezos has been criticized for not signing the Giving Pledge, the campaign launched by Bill Gates, Melinda French Gates and Warren Buffet to encourage billionaires to donate the majority of their wealth through philanthropy.
The billionaire stepped down as Amazon CEO last year to devote more time to philanthropy and other projects. He’s pledged $10 billion to fight climate change as part of his Bezos Earth Fund initiative. And according to The Chronicle of Philanthropy, he gave $510.7 million to nonprofits last year.
On Saturday, Bezos and Sanchez also announced a no-strings-attached $100 million grant to singer Dolly Parton, who’s been praised for her philanthropic work that helped create the Moderna vaccine for COVID-19. Bezos had given a similar grant to chef José Andrés and CNN commentator Van Jones last year.
Well if he wants to be benevolent why’s he such a tightwad with his employees?
Start with being a mentch with your workers.
But no, he’d rather blow 10 BILLION, on climate change, cause that’s cool to do.
Can you please post his cellphone number and home address? I would like to discuss some very important inyanim.
Now Jeff Basoz just like Bill gates (who wants to kill us all…) and Warren Buffet before him, have basically given away all their fortunes for Charity
BTW for those who wonder why Besoz couldn’t just give a raise to his employees instead. its the same reason why some of our Philanthropists are stingy or pay late with their employees then go and donate a Sefer Torah and throw large Hochnuses sefer Torah parades. ironically the Torah which says “Lo Sulin Peilas Suchir”
Mi Ke’amchu Yisrueil!!!
All the giving of these billionaires, not not true giving. They set up foundations that they use to further enrich themselves. Bill gates has made billions from the vaccines that he funded from his “charity”. All the land he is buying. (Who knows why)
If they actually have it to local community organizations. (Youth groups, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, health clinics) I would be impressed
So he gave singer Dolly Parton $100 Million because she is a millionaire (worth about $350M) who gave money to a pharmaceutical company that created a vaccine? I’m not sure that counts as charity – more like scratching backs of fellow buddy millionaires.
Andrew Carnegie was a complete s.o.b. Broke unions, starved and killed workers, lied, cheated, etc. But when he could feel the cold hand of the grim reaper tugging on his bespoke suit jacket he started building libraries everywhere to brighten his image. Unfortunately it works.
Most will probably end up benefiting the stray dogs & cats, or save the earthworms, or some other equally important charity organization.
Michael Bloomberg frequently makes the same promise. It’s an easy way to have people sucking up to you without actually doing anything for them
In the long run we all eventually ” give away” our fortunes. Let us see him do it while he lives.
Good for him.