Buffett gives $1.9B to Gates, other charities

[July 10, 2012]  OMAHA, Neb. (AP) -- Billionaire Warren Buffett has handed out $1.9 billion worth of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. stock as part of his plan to gradually give away most of his $44.1 billion fortune.

Buffett disclosed his gifts of 22.4 million Class B Berkshire shares on Monday. The biggest gift of about 18.4 million shares worth more than $1.5 billion went to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, in accordance with the plan Buffett outlined in 2006.

Buffett also gave 1.8 million shares to his own foundation and 643,203 shares to each of his three children's foundations.

Buffett also gave 238,165 shares worth nearly $20 million to eight unnamed charities, and 10 shares to each of the 15 elementary school children who were finalists in a business contest.

[Associated Press]

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