In the sprawling digital realm built by Bezos, a great house of commerce that spans the known world, a vast fortune has been unburdened. MacKenzie Scott, once wed to the founder-king, received a dowry of staggering proportion upon their sundering in 2019: four hundred million shares, a treasure worthy of a dragon’s hoard. This was her portion of the kingdom.
Yet a queen with no throne has little need for such a treasury, and in the years since, a great scattering has commenced. Now, a missive filed with the keepers of scrolls, the SEC, reveals the true extent of this divestment. The hoard is diminished by nearly half.
The numbers themselves are enough to make lords and merchants alike fall silent.
From a peak of four hundred million shares, her holdings have dwindled to a mere 81.1 million. This is not a trimming of expenses or a minor adjustment of ledgers; it is a reduction of 42 percent, a sum of nearly $12.6 billion cast to the winds. Whether these shares were sold for coin on the open market or gifted as tribute to causes she champions, the scrolls do not say.
Her philanthropic banner, known as Yield Giving, offers no comment on the matter. It is a quiet declaration, a movement of wealth so immense it requires no grand pronouncement. The mystery of the method only adds to the legend of the giving.
Her generosity is a force of nature, a deluge of gold where others offer but a trickle.
It is the manner of the gifts that sets her apart. No oaths of fealty are demanded, no strings of obligation tied to the coin purses. The funds arrive and the recipients—often those overlooked by other great houses—are trusted to wield them wisely. A sum of $84 million to a sisterhood of Girl Scouts. Another $436 million to the builders of humble homes at Habitat for Humanity. Citadels of learning long neglected, the historically Black colleges and universities, received $70 million to secure their futures.
Planned Parenthood, a cause of much contention in the realm, was granted $275 million. These are not mere donations; they are the refortification of the commons.
A strange and tangled knot remains in this tale of redistribution. Though the wealth has passed from his house, JeffBezos still holds the voting seal over her remaining shares.
It is a peculiar arrangement, a relic of their shared history, where he exercises authority over lands he no longer owns. This annual disclosure is a formal accounting of a fortune that is actively being dismantled and sown across a thousand different fields, from affordable housing trusts in the cold lands of Vermont to programs helping low-income students breach the high walls of college.
One woman is changing the map of philanthropy, one colossal, unrestricted gift at a time.
• Initial Stake Following her 2019 divorce, Scott held 400 million shares of Amazon.
• Current Holdings A recent filing shows her stake is now 81.1 million shares.
• Massive Reduction This represents a 42% decrease in her holdings, valued at approximately $12.6 billion.
• Ambiguous Method The regulatory filing does not specify if the shares were sold, donated, or a combination of both.
• Voting Authority Founder Jeff Bezos retains voting control over her shares, a condition of their divorce agreement.
• Unrestricted Philanthropy Scott is known for her “no strings attached” approach, giving vast sums to a diverse array of organizations, including the Girl Scouts ($84M), Habitat for Humanity ($436M), and UNCF ($70M).
What if… the wealthiest individuals in the world were to suddenly divest from their most lucrative ventures? MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon’s founder Jeff Bezos, has been making headlines with her unprecedented philanthropic efforts, but what sparked this sudden change of heart? After divorcing Bezos in 2019, Scott received a 4% stake in Amazon, which has been steadily increasing in value over the years.
As of 2022, her net worth stood at approximately $62. 3 billion, making her one of the richest women in the world.
Scott’s Amazon sales have been a topic of interest among investors and philanthropists alike. In 2020, she sold $3. 1 billion worth of Amazon stock, followed by another $6. 5 billion sale in 2021. These massive transactions have not only reduced her stake in the company but have also provided her with the means to pursue her philanthropic endeavors.
According to Yahoo Finance, Scott’s Amazon sales have been instrumental in funding her charitable initiatives, which have focused on supporting various causes, including education, healthcare, and social justice.
AsScott continues to divest from Amazon, many are left wondering what the implications will be for her net worth and the company’s future.
●●● ●●●
After gaining 400 million Amazon shares following her 2019 divorce from the company’s founder, Jeff Bezos, billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie …
Alternative viewpoints and findings: Check here
