Bill Gates has addressed his past relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein during a meeting with staff at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, saying he took responsibility for his actions and answering questions candidly.
In a statement, the foundation said Gates spoke openly during a scheduled town hall and addressed several questions in detail, including those related to the recent release of Epstein-related files by the U.S. Department of Justice.
According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, Gates apologised to staff and acknowledged that spending time with Epstein was a “huge mistake.” He reportedly told employees that he had two affairs with Russian women and said Epstein later became aware of them. Gates insisted he had no involvement in any illicit activity, stating: “I did nothing illicit. I saw nothing illicit.”
Gates has not been accused of wrongdoing by any of Epstein’s victims. He told staff that he first met Epstein in 2011, years after Epstein had pleaded guilty to soliciting a minor for prostitution. Gates said he continued to meet Epstein until 2014 but never stayed overnight with him or visited his private island.
The relationship reportedly continued despite concerns raised by his former wife, Melinda French Gates. Gates is quoted as saying she was always sceptical about his association with Epstein. He also told staff that Epstein had claimed to have connections with other billionaires and suggested he could help raise funds for Gates’ charitable causes.
Images of Gates with unidentified women included in the recently released Epstein files were also discussed. Gates reportedly said the photographs were taken at Epstein’s request after meetings with his assistants and did not involve any illegal conduct.
A spokesperson for the Gates Foundation said the town hall covered a range of topics, including artificial intelligence and the future of global health, and confirmed that Gates “took responsibility for his actions.”
Gates and Melinda French Gates divorced in 2021 after 27 years of marriage. In a recent podcast interview, Melinda said the renewed attention on Epstein had brought back “painful times” and added that unanswered questions should be addressed by those directly involved, including her ex-husband.
Epstein died in a New York jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Previous claims in Epstein-drafted emails suggested Gates had contracted a sexually transmitted infection and attempted to hide it, allegations that Gates’ spokesperson has called “absolutely absurd and completely false.”
In earlier interviews, Gates said his interactions with Epstein were limited to dinners and that he regretted every minute of the association. The Gates Foundation has also stated that while a small number of staff had contact with Epstein due to his claims of mobilising philanthropic resources, no collaboration or financial relationship was ever established.
