SEVENTEEN US billionaires, including Facebook founders Mark Zuckerberg and Dustin Moskovitz, have joined other wealthy American in pledging to give away at least half their fortunes as part of a philanthropic campaign by two of the world’s richest men, Warren Buffett and Bill Gates.
Fifty-seven billionaires now have joined the Giving Pledge, which was launched by Microsoft founder Mr Gates and investor Mr Buffett in June. The campaign announced the new pledges in a statement late on Wednesday.
The campaign asks US billionaires to give away at least half their wealth during their lifetime or after their death and to publicly state their intention with a letter explaining their decision.
In addition to Mr Zuckerberg, the new group of billionaires taking the pledge includes AOL co-founder Steve Case, financier Carl Icahn and Michael Milken, the former Wall Street executive who went to prison for securities violations.
The Giving Pledge does not accept money or tell people how to donate their money but asks billionaires to make a moral commitment to give their fortunes to charity.
Morningstar chief executive Joe Mansueto, businessman Nicolas Berggruen and private investor Ted Forstmann also are among the new billionaires to take the pledges. – (Reuters)
