Bill Gates has acknowledged having two affairs and apologized to staff at the Gates Foundation for his past association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, calling the connection a “huge mistake.”
Speaking at a town hall with foundation employees, Gates said he never engaged in anything illegal or illicit with Epstein, who he met in 2011—years after Epstein’s guilty plea for soliciting a minor for prostitution. Gates admitted he failed to fully examine Epstein’s background and continued meeting him through 2014, though he said he never stayed overnight at Epstein’s properties or visited his private island.
“I apologize to other people who are drawn into this because of the mistake that I made,” Gates told staff, emphasizing he had no involvement with Epstein’s criminal activities or victims.
The comments come after new Epstein-related documents were released by the US Department of Justice, including emails in which Epstein allegedly made claims about Gates’ private life—claims a Gates spokesperson dismissed as “absolutely absurd and completely false.”
The Gates Foundation clarified that although some staff interacted with Epstein regarding potential philanthropic support, no collaboration occurred and no funds were paid to him.
Melinda French Gates, who divorced Gates in 2021 after 27 years of marriage, described the documents as a reminder of “painful times” and said those involved “need to answer to those things.”
Epstein died in a New York prison cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Gates has not been accused of wrongdoing by any of Epstein’s victims and has expressed regret over his association with the financier.
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