Jeff, Mackenzie Bezos finalize their divorce

SEATTLE —Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’ marriage to Mackenzie Bezos is officially over.

A Seattle-area judge finalized the couple’s divorce Friday, six months after news emerged that Jeff Bezos had been cheating on his wife with former television news anchor Lauren Sanchez.

The couple, who have four children, announced their split in January via Twitter after 25 years of marriage.

The settlement leaves Mackenzie Bezos with a 4% stake in the online retail hub worth $38.8 billion — thrusting her to the top ranks of the world’s richest people. She’s currently at No. 22 on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index and only three other women — Francoise Bettencourt Meyers, Alice Walton and Jacqueline Mars — are worth more.

Jeff Bezos, meanwhile, retains a 12% stake worth $114.8 billion and remains the richest person in the world. His former wife also said she would give him voting control of her shares.

In a letter shared online in May, Mackenzie Bezos vowed to give away half her fortune to charity through the Giving Pledge, founded in 2010 by billionaire investor Warren Buffett and Microsoft founder Bill Gates.

“We each come by the gifts we have to offer by an infinite series of influences and lucky breaks we can never fully understand. In addition to whatever assets life has nurtured in me, I have a disproportionate amount of money to share,” the 49-yearold novelist said on her decision to give to the philanthropic club.

“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.”

According to Quartz, of the top five wealthiest Americans, only Jeff Bezos, 55, has not signed the Giving Pledge. He praised his wife for her philanthropy after she signed on to the campaign.