Warren Buffett has stopped donating money to the Gates Foundation, ending a 20-year philanthropic partnership, following the revelation of ties between Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Buffett said Tuesday that he is donating about $6 billion worth of Berkshire Hathaway shares, including 12 million Class B shares, in his semi-annual donation to four family foundations overseen by his children: Susie, Howard, and Peter.

Image from Jeffrey Epstein files shows Microsoft founder Bill Gates standing with a woman whose face was hidden (AFP)

The announcement from the 95-year-old Berkshire chairman made no mention of the Gates Foundation, which has received more than $47 billion in group shares since Buffett made what he called an irrevocable pledge in 2006 to donate shares during his lifetime. Buffett's donations totaled more than $4.5 billion last year.

Buffett added in a statement: 'Of course, the timing of death cannot be predicted, but my remaining shares will be donated to the four foundations in one way or another by December 31, 2034.'

Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein during questioning of former Attorney General Pam Bondi at a House Judiciary Committee hearing in the Capitol building in Washington (Archive - Reuters)

The Gates Foundation did not respond to requests for comment. Berkshire Hathaway also did not respond to requests for further comment.

Buffett said that after his death, his children will oversee a charitable trust that will contain about 99.5 percent of his remaining wealth.

Bill Gates' reputation suffered after the U.S. Department of Justice released files on Epstein in February.

The files included images of Gates standing next to the financier and next to women whose faces were obscured. Emails also showed communications between Epstein and foundation staff.

Last month, Gates told Congress he met Epstein in 2011, three years after Epstein pleaded guilty in Florida to soliciting a minor for prostitution, and four years after Epstein reached a controversial non-prosecution agreement with federal prosecutors.

Image of Jeffrey Epstein taken on March 28, 2017, provided by the New York State Sex Offender Registry (AP)

Gates said several subsequent meetings with Epstein focused on potential philanthropic projects, but they failed, and the relationship ended by December 2014.

No criminal charges have been filed against Gates, 70. Gates has repeatedly expressed regret for being associated in any way with Epstein, denied spending any time with Epstein's sexual assault victims, and said he never witnessed any criminal behavior by Epstein.