Bill Gates apologises to Foundation staff over Epstein ties: Report
text_fields
New York: American tech entrepreneur Bill Gates has apologised to staff at the Gates Foundation over his past association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, while maintaining that he did “nothing illicit”, according to an exclusive report by The Wall Street Journal.
The Microsoft co-founder also acknowledged having two affairs with Russian women and admitted to mistakes that he said had cast a cloud over the philanthropic organisation. However, he insisted that he had no involvement in Epstein’s crimes.
Gates was among numerous public figures, including celebrities, politicians, business leaders and technology executives whose connections with Epstein were revealed in tens of thousands of documents released online last month by the US Justice Department. The files, collectively referred to as the “Epstein files”, include emails, interview transcripts, photographs, and call logs, with certain names redacted.
Speaking at a town hall meeting on Tuesday, Gates said he had two affairs with Russian women that Epstein later became aware of, but stressed that they did not involve any of Epstein’s victims. “I did nothing illicit. I saw nothing illicit,” Gates said, according to a recording reviewed by The Wall Street Journal.
Addressing images in the recently released files showing him with women whose identities were redacted, Gates said the photographs were taken at Epstein’s request with his assistants following meetings. “To be clear, I never spent any time with victims, the women around him,” he said.
Gates described spending time with Epstein as “a huge mistake” and acknowledged that bringing Gates Foundation executives into meetings with him was wrong. “I apologise to other people who are drawn into this because of the mistake that I made,” he was quoted as saying.
He said he first met Epstein in 2011, three years after Epstein had pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting a minor for prostitution. Gates admitted he did not “properly check” Epstein’s background, even though he was aware of what he described as an “18-month thing” that had restricted Epstein’s travel. He also revealed that he continued meeting Epstein despite concerns raised in 2013 by his then-wife, Melinda French Gates.
“To give her credit, she was always kind of skeptical about the Epstein thing,” Gates said.
According to the report, Gates told staff that he continued meeting Epstein until 2014, travelled on a private jet with him and met him in Germany, France, New York and Washington. “I never stayed overnight,” he said, adding that he never visited Epstein’s private island.
Gates acknowledged that his association with Epstein, along with newly disclosed emails from the Justice Department files, had damaged the reputation of the Gates Foundation.
“It definitely is the opposite of the values of the Foundation and the goals of the Foundation,” he said. “And our work is very reputationally sensitive. I mean, people can choose to work with us or not work with us.”
A spokesperson for the Gates Foundation said Gates holds town halls twice a year and that he “spoke candidly, addressing several questions in detail, and took responsibility for his actions.”
Gates also said Epstein often spoke about his close relationships with wealthy individuals, particularly Wall Street billionaires, and claimed he could help raise funds for causes such as global health. Gates admitted that the presence of other prominent individuals at meetings with Epstein made the situation feel “normalised”, adding that he now recognises his association may have helped Epstein enhance his reputation.
During the town hall, Gates reiterated: “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 2014 was the last year he met Epstein.
Epstein, according to US media reports, died by suicide in a New York jail cell in August 2019, a month after being indicted on federal sex trafficking charges.
With PTI inputs