On Wednesday, Bill Gates apologised to staff at the Gates Foundation for his past association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, while maintaining that he had engaged in no wrongdoing, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing sources.
Bill Gates has apologised to staff at the Gates Foundation over his past association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, while maintaining that he engaged in no wrongdoing, The Wall Street Journal reported quoting sources. Citing a recording of a recent town hall meeting, WSJ reported that Gates acknowledged errors in judgment over meeting Epstein and said he regretted the impact the relationship had on the Foundation’s reputation.
Addressing staff, Bill Gates acknowledged his association with Jeffrey Epstein harmed the foundation’s reputation and may have inadvertently benefited Epstein. “It was a huge mistake to spend time with Epstein” and to bring Gates Foundation executives into meetings with him, Gates said. “I apologise to other people who are drawn into this because of the mistake that I made.”
Referring to newly released US Justice Department records, the so-called “Epstein files”, Gates said photos showing him with women whose faces were redacted were taken at Epstein’s request after meetings. “To be clear, I never spent any time with victims, the women around him,” he said. “I did nothing illicit. I saw nothing illicit.”
Gates disclosed two affairs with Russian women that Epstein later learned of. “I did have affairs, one with a Russian bridge player who met me at bridge events, and one with a Russian nuclear physicist who I met through business activities,” he said, adding they were unrelated to Epstein’s victims.
He said he met Epstein in 2011, did not “properly check” his background despite knowing of prior legal issues, and continued meetings through 2014, including travel in Europe and the US. “I never stayed overnight,” Gates said. He also noted that Melinda French Gates had been skeptical: “To give her credit, she was always kind of skeptical about the Epstein thing.” Epstein, who faced federal sex trafficking charges, died in a New York jail in 2019.