‘Until the safe is empty’: Looking back at MacKenzie Scott's $19B donation amid Jeff Bezos wedding rumours

The Internet is busy judging the extravagant wedding plans of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who is also the third richest person in the world with a net worth of $215 billion. Jeff Bezos is all set to marry former fiancé Lauren Sánchez in Venice in mid-June and has made luxury accommodations across Venice’s luxury hotels for around 200 guests including A-listers.

MacKenzie Scott’s net worth: How the philanthropist gave away billions

However, when his ex-wife and Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, also one of the world’s richest people, married Seattle teacher Dan Jewett in 2021 and refused publicity around it. Their marriage was acknowledged on the couple’s webpage for the Giving Pledge, a philanthropic organization. And it’s hardly news that MacKenzie Scott had given away billions of dollars to charity after her divorce from Bezos. Needless, to say the Internet is busy drawing comparison to how the two billionaires and former couple approach personal celebrations.

Jeff Bezos’ ex-wife, MacKenzie Scott, has reportedly donated an impressive $19 billion from her estimated $35.6 billion fortune in the form of “unrestricted” donations. This significant giving has come to light in the wake of the substantial divorce settlement she received nearly five years ago. A report from The Center for Effective Philanthropy and her organization, Yield Giving, reveals that over the past five years, she has supported more than 2,000 organizations with a staggering total of $19.25 billion.

MacKenzie Scott's current net worth is reportedly approximately $32 billion, placing her as the fifth richest woman globally. She was married to Bezos for 25 years before the couple announced their divorce in 2019, after which Bezos began a relationship with Lauren Sanchez.

As part of their divorce settlement, Bezos transferred a 4% stake in Amazon to Scott, amounting to $38 billion in shares. Scott has expressed her belief that she has “a disproportionate amount of money to share” and committed to donating it diligently “until the safe is empty.”

She has made a name for herself by supporting over 2,450 nonprofit organizations, which span a range of initiatives from the arts to affordable housing, education, public health, immigration, and diversity, with a focus on those in need, particularly underrepresented communities worldwide—from East Texas to northern Tanzania. Scott stated in the CEP report, “I needn’t ask those I care about what to say to them, or what to do for them. I can share what I have with them to stand behind them as they speak and act for themselves.”

The CEP report has highlighted that Scott's philanthropic contributions have not only transformed the recipient organizations but have also positively impacted many of the communities they serve, mainly targeting the needs of marginalized groups. Following their divorce in 2019, Bezos praised Scott for her dedication to philanthropy, expressing that “MacKenzie is going to be amazing and thoughtful and effective at philanthropy, and I’m proud of her. Her letter is so beautiful. Go get ‘em, MacKenzie.”