Billionaire news — enriched with political donations, foundation data, and a giving grade (the Public Benefit Score: how much of their wealth they actually give). The grade rates their giving record, not the story it sits beside. Facts first.
Updated August 31, 2026
The ones that land hardest
Picked for what they prove, not for when they landed — several of these are weeks old.
MacKenzie Scott’s large-scale philanthropy became the subject of a public rebuke from Elon Musk, who said her giving was making the world worse. Scott is estimated to be worth $59.4 billion and has a PBS score of 91.60; the article describes her as having given away nearly half her fortune.
Mark Cuban publicly criticized Rep. Ro Khanna’s proposed wealth tax, calling it “insane.” Cuban’s estimated net worth is $3 billion, while available records show about $7,000 in political donations and $7 million in foundation assets — useful context for a debate centered on taxing large fortunes.
The Gates Foundation announced a $540 million science-focused gift as federal support pulls back, according to Fortune. Melinda French Gates has an estimated net worth of $29 billion; the foundation’s reported assets total about $77.0 billion, making the grant a notable example of private philanthropy stepping into a space normally shaped by public appropriations.
Investor and Ferrari collector Herbert Wertheim bought Ferrari’s one-off Luce EV, known as Chassis 0, for $40 million at auction; Ferrari said the proceeds would support education projects through its foundation. Wertheim, an estimated $3.8 billion billionaire, also bought a one-off Ferrari Daytona SP3 for $26 million the prior year; available records list $1.8 million in political donations.
The Winklevoss twins reportedly gave $10 million to a Trump-aligned super PAC 23 days after the CFTC joined a bid for relief involving their crypto company, Gemini. The timing does not establish a connection, but it puts a large political contribution alongside an active regulatory matter; Tyler Winklevoss is worth about $4.4 billion, and available FEC records list $3.2 million in political donations.
Rick Jackson said he would end his state contracts if elected governor, putting a potential conflict-of-interest issue directly into his campaign message. Jackson’s estimated net worth is $1.0 billion, and the available foundation filing data lists $7 million in assets.
Fortune reports that Sergey Brin and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt are at odds over how to spend money in a campaign opposing a proposed California tax on billionaires. Brin's reported net worth is about $49.8 billion; available records also list $1.3 million in political donations and $4.1 billion in foundation assets.
Techdirt reports that the Ellison family has threatened to move CBS and Paramount operations if California’s antitrust lawsuit is not settled. Larry Ellison, whose wealth is estimated at $62.5 billion, is central to the family’s media-financing power; his recorded federal political donations total about $3,000.
Panera founder and Cava chairman Ron Shaich has invested $100 million in social-entertainment company Level99, bringing a restaurant operator’s capital to a different kind of venue. Shaich’s net worth is estimated at $1.2 billion; his foundation reports $76 million in assets and his listed federal political donations total about $633,000.
Activist investor Nelson Peltz’s Trian Fund Management is reportedly weighing a potential acquisition of Wendy’s, putting the company back in the orbit of one of its major shareholders. Peltz has an estimated net worth of $1.5 billion and has made about $2 million in federal political donations.
LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman and the company’s CEO are set to be deposed in an antitrust case, according to Bloomberg Law. Hoffman has an estimated net worth of $2.7 billion and is listed with $11 million in federal political donations — a sizable political footprint alongside his technology investments.
MobileX has joined Charlie Ergen’s wireless holdings as Boost Mobile seeks growth, expanding the set of mobile brands associated with his telecom empire. Ergen is worth an estimated $9.6 billion and has reported roughly $49,000 in federal political donations.
Marc Lore agreed to sell his controlling stake in the Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Lynx at a reported $4.5 billion valuation. Lore’s estimated net worth is $4 billion, making the ownership transaction a substantial conversion of sports-franchise equity into cash or other consideration.
Beyoncé Knowles-Carter bought LVMH’s stake in SirDavis, the whiskey brand associated with her business portfolio. The transaction consolidates ownership in a brand tied to a billionaire estimated to be worth $1 billion; her reported federal political donations total about $3,000.
Polymarket CEO Shayne Coplan said a former FBI officer is watching every trader on the prediction-market platform, placing surveillance and compliance practices at the center of its growth story. Coplan’s estimated net worth is $1 billion, and his reported federal political donations total about $147,000.
The Treasury Department announced new payroll rules for Trump Accounts months after Michael and Susan Dell’s reported $6.25 billion donation connected to the program. Dell’s estimated net worth is $37.6 billion, and his foundation reports roughly $5.4 billion in assets, placing the gift among the largest recent examples of private wealth intersecting with a federal policy initiative.
