Bill Gates Apologises Over Ties with Epstein, Says He Did 'Nothing Illicit'

American tech entrepreneur Bill Gates has apologised to staff at the Gates Foundation over his connections with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein but insisted that he did “nothing illicit,” according to a media report.

The Microsoft co-founder also acknowledged having two affairs with Russian women and admitted to mistakes that had cast a shadow over the philanthropic group, while maintaining that he did not participate in Epstein’s crimes, The Wall Street Journal reported exclusively on Tuesday.

Gates was among many celebrities, politicians, leaders, and tech entrepreneurs linked to Epstein, as revealed in tens of thousands of documents—including emails, interview transcripts, photos, and call logs—released online last month by the US Justice Department, collectively referred to as the Epstein files, with some names redacted.

During a town hall on Tuesday, Gates confirmed that he had two affairs with Russian women that Epstein later discovered, but stressed they “didn’t involve Epstein’s victims.” “I did nothing illicit. I saw nothing illicit,” Gates said, according to a recording reviewed by The Wall Street Journal.

Gates said that images in the recently released Epstein files showing him with women whose faces are redacted were taken at Epstein’s request with the help of his assistants after their meetings. “To be clear, I never spent any time with victims, the women around him,” Gates added.

“It was a huge mistake to spend time with Epstein” and to involve Gates Foundation executives in meetings with the sex offender, Gates said.

“I apologise to other people who are drawn into this because of the mistake that I made,” The Wall Street Journal quoted him as saying.

Gates said he first met Epstein in 2011, three years after Epstein had pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting a minor for prostitution. He admitted he didn’t “properly check” Epstein’s background, even though he knew about some “18-month thing” that had restricted Epstein’s travel, and said he continued meeting Epstein after his then-wife Melinda French Gates expressed concerns in 2013.

“To give her credit, she was always kind of skeptical about the Epstein thing,” Gates said. The Wall Street Journal added that Gates told staff he continued meeting Epstein through 2014, flew on a private jet with him, and spent time together in Germany, France, New York, and Washington. “I never stayed overnight,” Gates said, and did not visit Epstein’s island.

He acknowledged that his association with Epstein and newly disclosed emails from the Justice Department files had cast a cloud over the Gates Foundation and its reputation.

“It definitely is the opposite of the values of the Foundation and the goals of the Foundation,” he said. “And our work is very reputational sensitive. I mean, people can choose to work with us or not work with us.”

A Gates Foundation spokesperson said that Gates holds town halls twice a year and “spoke candidly, addressing several questions in detail, and took responsibility for his actions.”

Gates added that Epstein “talked about the kind of intimate relationship he had with a lot of billionaires, particularly Wall Street billionaires,” and claimed he could help raise money for causes like global health. Gates said the presence of other prominent people at these meetings “made it easier for me to feel like this was a normalized situation,” and he acknowledged that his association with Epstein helped the sex offender enhance his reputation.

In the town hall, Gates also said: “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 noted that 2014 was the last year he met with Epstein.

Epstein, according to US media reports, killed himself in a New York jail cell in August 2019, a month after being indicted on federal sex trafficking charges.American tech entrepreneur Bill Gates has apologised to staff at the Gates Foundation over his connections with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein but insisted that he did “nothing illicit,” according to a media report.

The Microsoft co-founder also acknowledged having two affairs with Russian women and admitted to mistakes that had cast a shadow over the philanthropic group, while maintaining that he did not participate in Epstein’s crimes, The Wall Street Journal reported exclusively on Tuesday.

Gates was among many celebrities, politicians, leaders, and tech entrepreneurs linked to Epstein, as revealed in tens of thousands of documents—including emails, interview transcripts, photos, and call logs—released online last month by the US Justice Department, collectively referred to as the Epstein files, with some names redacted.

During a town hall on Tuesday, Gates confirmed that he had two affairs with Russian women that Epstein later discovered, but stressed they “didn’t involve Epstein’s victims.” “I did nothing illicit. I saw nothing illicit,” Gates said, according to a recording reviewed by The Wall Street Journal.

Gates said that images in the recently released Epstein files showing him with women whose faces are redacted were taken at Epstein’s request with the help of his assistants after their meetings. “To be clear, I never spent any time with victims, the women around him,” Gates added.

“It was a huge mistake to spend time with Epstein” and to involve Gates Foundation executives in meetings with the sex offender, Gates said.

“I apologise to other people who are drawn into this because of the mistake that I made,” The Wall Street Journal quoted him as saying.

Gates said he first met Epstein in 2011, three years after Epstein had pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting a minor for prostitution. He admitted he didn’t “properly check” Epstein’s background, even though he knew about some “18-month thing” that had restricted Epstein’s travel, and said he continued meeting Epstein after his then-wife Melinda French Gates expressed concerns in 2013.

“To give her credit, she was always kind of skeptical about the Epstein thing,” Gates said. The Wall Street Journal added that Gates told staff he continued meeting Epstein through 2014, flew on a private jet with him, and spent time together in Germany, France, New York, and Washington. “I never stayed overnight,” Gates said, and did not visit Epstein’s island.

He acknowledged that his association with Epstein and newly disclosed emails from the Justice Department files had cast a cloud over the Gates Foundation and its reputation.

“It definitely is the opposite of the values of the Foundation and the goals of the Foundation,” he said. “And our work is very reputational sensitive. I mean, people can choose to work with us or not work with us.”

A Gates Foundation spokesperson said that Gates holds town halls twice a year and “spoke candidly, addressing several questions in detail, and took responsibility for his actions.”

Gates added that Epstein “talked about the kind of intimate relationship he had with a lot of billionaires, particularly Wall Street billionaires,” and claimed he could help raise money for causes like global health. Gates said the presence of other prominent people at these meetings “made it easier for me to feel like this was a normalized situation,” and he acknowledged that his association with Epstein helped the sex offender enhance his reputation.

In the town hall, Gates also said: “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 noted that 2014 was the last year he met with Epstein.

Epstein, according to US media reports, killed himself in a New York jail cell in August 2019, a month after being indicted on federal sex trafficking charges.

(with PTI inputs)