After it was discovered Bezos had been cheating on his wife, novelist MacKenzie Scott, with another woman, the two announced plans to divorce. Many wondered what might happen with their divorce settlement.
After all, was said and done, MacKenzie Scott received a $38.3 billion settlement. She is a private person and doesn’t speak out much publicly. It seems she has been letting her money speak for her.
Since her divorce, she has given away billions of dollars to nonprofit organizations and plans to give more. After her 38.3 billion divorce settlement with Jeff Bezos, what happened to MacKenzie Scott?
After being married for 25 years, Jeff Bezos and Mackenzie Scott were divorced in 2019 after it was revealed Bezos had been having an affair with news anchor and helicopter pilot, Lauren Sanchez.
According to Perez Hilton, Scott discussed some of the divorce settlements in a post she wrote. “Grateful to have finished the process of dissolving my marriage with Jeff with support from each other and everyone who has reached out to us in kindness, and looking forward to the next phase as co-parents and friends.”
“Happy to be giving him all of my interests in the Washington Post and Blue Origin, and 75% of our Amazon stock, plus voting control of my shares to support his continued contributions with the teams of these incredible companies.”
In her post, she also discussed looking forward to the future. “Excited about my own plans. Grateful for the past as I look forward to what comes next.”
It seems Scott plans to donate most of her money to those in need. She wrote on The Giving Pledge website, “In addition to whatever assets life has nurtured in me, I have a disproportionate amount of money to share. My approach to philanthropy will continue to be thoughtful. It will take time and effort and care. But I won’t wait. And I will keep at it until the safe is empty.”
Numerous celebrities have gotten involved in activism in different ways. After MacKenzie Scott and Jeff Bezos divorced, Scott received a large financial settlement. She established a charity organization, Yield Giving, so she could begin sharing her fortune with others.
In 2019, the same year she and Bezos finalized their divorce, Scott signed the Giving Pledge. According to the webpage, “The Giving Pledge is a promise by the world’s wealthiest individuals and families to dedicate the majority of their wealth to charitable causes.”
So far, Scott has donated over $12 billion to numerous organizations and charities. According to Forbes, some of the largest donations she’s made have gone to “large national nonprofit organizations with local affiliates spread across the country.”
It’s not known how Scott chooses which of the local affiliates throughout the country will receive her donations. According to Yield Giving, “quiet research” is done before offering a donation “for use however they choose.” This means when an organization receives a donation, it can use it for whatever they need, without restrictions.
Some of the organizations Scott has given to include: Girls Scouts, Habitat For Humanity, Feeding America, Meals on Wheels, Goodwill, Easterseals, and many more.
Scott wrote about the organizations she donates to on the Medium blogging platform in July 2020. “Every one of them is tackling complex challenges that will require sustained effort over many years, while simultaneously addressing consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Because of her philanthropy, Scott was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2020. In 2021, She was named Forbes Magazine’s Most Powerful Woman in the World. The fact that she doesn’t answer to anyone and her philanthropy were two of the main reasons.
According to Forbes, Favianna Rodriguez, “who works to aid communities of color in Oakland, California”, said, “My hope is that MacKenzie’s style of giving inspires the philanthropic sector, and inspires other donors to give in a way that supports big, bold visions.”
After getting divorced, many celebrities will start a new relationship and sometimes, get remarried. After her divorce from Jeff Bezos, MacKenzie Scott seemed to find love again when she married a chemistry teacher from her children’s private school, Dan Jewett, in 2021.
According to The Guardian, a friend told the Times that Jewett was “earnest, not very edgy…the perfect person to end up with this money to give away – no sense of greed at all.”
It seems Jewett was committed to helping others, like the Traps author. According to Business Insider, Jewett wrote on a page for The Giving Pledge, “I am married to one of the most generous and kind people I know – and joining her in a commitment to pass on an enormous financial wealth to serve others.”
However, the two did not last, and Scott filed for divorce from Jewett in 2022. Reportedly, the two had a prenuptial agreement.
According to court documents posted by Business Insider, “No money judgment is ordered. The real property is divided according to the separation contract. No spousal support is ordered.”
