Billionaire Bill Gates has dropped to fifth place in the list of the world's richest people compiled by Forbes, following hisdivorce with Melinda French.
The divorce of Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates and the split of properties afterward is the key reason behind the slip. Gates has been one of the top billionaires since 1987 and this is the first time he is below the third spot.
Gates' investment company, Cascade Investment LLC (CAS), transferred stocks of $2.4 billion to Melinda, taking her net worth to $5.6 billion. Bill Gates had already parted with $3.2 billion in May after thecouple announced their separation.
Bill Gates is currently at the fifth place with $129.6 billion, while Zuckerberg, with $132 billion, is at fourth.
According to Security and Exchange Commission filings, Melinda received 3.3 million AutoNation shares, 2.8 million Deere & Co shares and 9.5 million Canadian National Railway shares from Cascade.
According to Forbes, Gates now has $129 billion and $6 million. This is $5 billion and $6 million less compared to the numbers before the divorce process.
Gates' divorce may go down in history as the most expensive divorce in the world.