Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft and co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, met with his staff to address his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to a statement from the Gates Foundation. In an address to his staff, Gates admitted to making mistakes without engaging in any criminal activities.
“Bill spoke candidly, addressing several questions in detail,” said a statement from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
“He took responsibility for his actions.” The meeting was a regular town hall meeting that takes place twice a year and included discussions about various topics such as artificial intelligence and global health programs.
As reported by The Wall Street Journal, Gates told his staff that he first met Epstein in 2011, several years after Epstein pleaded guilty to soliciting a minor for prostitution in Florida.
Gates said that he knew there were restrictions on Epstein’s travel, but he did not investigate him thoroughly before continuing to see him.
Gates reportedly told his staff that he realized meeting Epstein was “a huge mistake” but that he “never spent any time with victims, the women around him.”
Gates said that he met Epstein through his philanthropic and social connections. Epstein, according to Gates, claimed to know other billionaires and that he could help Gates raise money for charitable projects.
Gates said that he did continue to see Epstein until 2014, but that he “never stayed overnight” at Epstein’s homes or visited his private island.
Read Also: Bill Gates Warns That AI Misuse Could Lead To Scary Outcomes
Gates also commented on allegations raised in what is called the Epstein files, which included photos of Gates and other women whose faces were not shown.
He stated that he was photographed at Epstein’s request, assisted by his aides, and he did not witness anything illegal.
During the session, Gates allegedly confessed to two affairs with women he met independently through his work and social activities.
He stated, “I apologize to other people who are drawn into this because of the mistake that I made.” He noted that these affairs were not related to Epstein, as reported by the WSJ.
The Gates Foundation was co-founded by Bill Gates and his former wife, Melinda French Gates. The couple divorced in 2021, ending a 27-year marriage.
In a recent interview with NPR, French Gates stated that Gates’s relationship with Epstein was a point of contention in her marriage. She stated, “It dredged up painful times, and I’m grateful that I’m not part of it.”
The recent focus on Gates’ link to Epstein came after the U.S. Department of Justice made available new, previously undisclosed documents in January, which included internal communications written by Epstein.
Some emails, allegedly from 2013, included claims about Gates’ contracting a sexually transmitted disease and efforts to cover it up.
Gates’ spokesperson has branded these claims as “absolutely absurd and completely false.”
Gates has previously spoken about his links to Epstein in interviews, saying that he only had limited contact with the financier, which he regrets.
In February, he told Australian news network 9News that his contact with Epstein was restricted to dinner meetings and apologized for his actions: “I apologize that I did that,” he said.
The foundation has previously said that Epstein never formally worked for the organization, was not paid, or had any kind of employment relationship.
A few employees of the foundation did, however, meet Epstein because he claimed to have the power to deliver philanthropic resources, the foundation said. “Ultimately, the foundation did not pursue any collaboration with Epstein and no fund was ever created,” it added.
In the course of the staff meeting, Gates also addressed the public’s inquiries regarding the foundation’s ongoing work and its involvement in artificial intelligence, public health, and development work.
Read Also: Divorce: Bloomberg Deletes Bill Gates Off Billionaire List
The foundation stated that it was meant to promote transparency about different issues, including those raised by the Epstein documents.
The media have also been interested in Gates’ past affair with a Microsoft employee in 2019. In addition, Gates has been associated with Epstein in the past.
Gates also told the WSJ staff that his former spouse had been skeptical about Epstein from the start. “To give her credit, she was always kind of sceptical about the Epstein thing,” he said.
Although Gates has not been implicated by any of Epstein’s known victims, the public disclosure of Gates’ interactions with Epstein has led many people to look at public figures associated with Epstein.
Legal experts have noted that Gates’ meeting with Epstein did not necessarily imply anything wrong with Gates. They have also noted that there is no evidence linking Gates with Epstein’s criminal activities.
Gates Foundation announced that the town hall meeting was meant to provide answers in an open manner while reaffirming the foundation’s commitment to the global programs.
Gates’ comments are currently the most detailed he has given regarding his relationship with Epstein and his personal mistakes.
