Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft Corporation and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, addressed staff during a foundation town hall on Tuesday, taking responsibility for his interactions with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
In a statement, the Gates Foundation said Gates “spoke candidly, addressing several questions in detail” and apologised for the mistakes he made. According to reporting by The Wall Street Journal, Gates disclosed that he had two affairs with Russian women which Epstein later learned about, and emphasised that he “did nothing illicit” and “saw nothing illicit” in his dealings with Epstein.
Gates reportedly described meeting Epstein in 2011—years after Epstein pleaded guilty to soliciting a minor for prostitution—and admitted he did not properly investigate Epstein’s background. The relationship continued until 2014 and included dinners and meetings abroad, though Gates said he “never stayed overnight” or visited Epstein’s island. He acknowledged that his ex-wife, Melinda French Gates, had expressed skepticism about his association with Epstein.
Gates told staff that images of him with women in the so-called Epstein files were taken at Epstein’s request after meetings and denied any financial involvement by the foundation. The Gates Foundation reiterated that “no fund was ever created, no payments were made to Epstein, and he was never employed by the foundation.”
Earlier this month, Melinda Gates described the release of the Epstein files as dredging up “painful times” in her marriage. Bill Gates has publicly acknowledged previous affairs, including one with a Microsoft employee in 2019, and stated he regrets “every minute” spent with Epstein.
A spokesperson for the foundation confirmed that the town hall also covered other topics, including the foundation’s work in artificial intelligence and global health, and that Gates answered staff questions openly while taking responsibility for his past actions.
