Bill Gates’ Daughter Phoebe Faces Jail Time After Being Accused Of Profiting From Sales She Didn’t Drive

August 13, 2026 1:13 PM ET Bill Gates’ daughter, Phoebe Gates, 23, is accused of “cookie stuffing” at her multibillion-dollar digital startup, Phia.Phia helps shoppers find discount codes and access the lowest pricing on items purchased online during the checkout process. When a shopper uses Phia’s browser extension to make a purchase, the software drops a “cookie” that tracks the retailer and indicates that Phia earned a commission for driving the sale. A July 2026 Bloomberg investigation alleged that Phia co-founders Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni knowingly pushed for features within the software that took credit for sales they didn’t actually drive. The illicit practice carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. Phia — the buzzy shopping app co-founded by Bill Gates' daugh