At a recent town hall meeting with staff at the Gates Foundation, Bill Gates admitted he made a “huge mistake” by associating with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, while firmly denying any involvement in Epstein’s criminal activities.
According to a recording of the internal meeting reviewed by The Wall Street Journal, Gates expressed regret that his past ties with Epstein had cast a shadow over the foundation’s work. The Microsoft co-founder apologised to employees and said he took full responsibility for his decisions.
Gates’ name appears among several prominent figures referenced in documents recently released by the United States Department of Justice as part of its investigation into Epstein, who died in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges involving minors.
‘I did nothing illicit’
During the discussion, Gates acknowledged having had two extramarital affairs but strongly denied any connection to Epstein’s crimes. “I did nothing illicit. I saw nothing illicit,” he told staff.
He said one affair was with a Russian bridge player he met at tournaments, and another with a Russian nuclear physicist he encountered through professional engagements.
Gates explained that his interactions with Epstein began in 2011, three years after Epstein had pleaded guilty to soliciting a minor for prostitution. He said he was aware of restrictions placed on Epstein’s travel but did not look deeper into his background at the time.
Melinda French Gates had raised concerns
Gates revealed that his former wife, Melinda French Gates, had voiced concerns about Epstein as early as 2013. Despite her warnings, he continued meeting Epstein for at least another year.
Reflecting on the situation, Gates said that with hindsight, the association appeared far more troubling. He described bringing foundation executives to meetings with Epstein as a serious error and apologised to colleagues affected by the fallout.
According to Agence France-Presse, the remarks were made during the foundation’s twice-yearly internal town hall. In a statement, the foundation said Gates spoke candidly, answered questions in detail and accepted responsibility for his actions.
Renewed scrutiny after document release
Recently released files have reignited attention around Gates’ past association with Epstein. The documents reportedly include email exchanges discussing philanthropic initiatives, calendar entries noting meetings, and photographs of the two together at events.
Last week, Gates withdrew from delivering the keynote address at the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, stating that the decision was made to keep the focus on the summit’s priorities.
While Gates has not been formally accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein and maintains he had no knowledge of the financier’s crimes, the released material has intensified public scrutiny of their past interactions.
