Bill Gates Admits “Huge Mistake” Over Ties to Jeffrey Epstein

Bill Gates admitted making a “huge mistake” by keeping ties with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, saying his meetings were for philanthropy and denying any illegal activity. He acknowledged personal affairs but stressed he did nothing illicit. The Gates Foundation said Epstein was never paid or employed by them. Gates canceled a recent AI summit appearance after renewed scrutiny.

Bill Gates has publicly acknowledged making a "huge mistake" by maintaining contact with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, taking personal responsibility for his actions and addressing the matter directly with staff.
A spokesperson for the Gates Foundation confirmed that Gates spoke openly about the issue during a recent town hall meeting with employees. His comments came in the wake of the release of US Justice Department documents relating to Epstein, which mentioned Gates by name and prompted renewed scrutiny of his interactions with the late financier.
According to a Wall Street Journal report that cited a recording of the town hall, Gates expressed regret for spending time with Epstein and for involving foundation executives in meetings with him. He reportedly told staff, "I apologize to other people who are drawn into this because of the mistake that I made," signaling that he was aware of the broader consequences his decisions had on colleagues.
Gates also addressed aspects of his personal life, admitting that he had two affairs with Russian women. However, he denied any involvement in Epstein's criminal activities or any contact with Epstein’s victims. He emphasized to employees, "I did nothing illicit. I saw nothing illicit," maintaining that his engagement with Epstein was focused exclusively on philanthropic discussions. Gates said that the meetings with Epstein were intended to explore opportunities to raise additional funding for charitable initiatives, particularly in areas like global health.
Gates disclosed that his relationship with Epstein began in 2011, which was three years after Epstein had pleaded guilty to soliciting a minor for prostitution. Gates acknowledged that he was aware of a so-called "18-month thing," which placed restrictions on Epstein's travel, but admitted that he did not independently verify Epstein’s background before meeting with him.
He further noted that his then-wife, Melinda, had expressed concerns about Epstein in 2013, yet he continued interactions with Epstein for at least another year. Reflecting on his actions, Gates told staff, "Knowing what I know now makes it, you know, a hundred times worse in terms of not only his crimes in the past, but now it's clear there was ongoing bad behavior," demonstrating that he recognizes the gravity of his continued association with Epstein.
Additional details about Gates’ connections with Epstein have emerged through Justice Department documents, which indicate that Gates met multiple times with Epstein following Epstein's prison sentence, again discussing philanthropic projects. Some images included in the files show Gates posing with women whose identities were redacted, raising further questions about the nature of these interactions.
In response to the recent disclosures, Gates canceled a planned appearance at an artificial intelligence summit in India last week. Previous reporting by the Wall Street Journal suggested that Epstein had learned about Gates' affair with one of the Russian women and appeared to use this knowledge to intimidate Gates.
The Gates Foundation has emphasized that Epstein never received any financial payments from the organization and was never employed by it in any capacity.
Epstein died in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Meanwhile, the Gates Foundation, which was established in 2000, continues to be one of the world’s largest funders of global health programs, supporting initiatives aimed at improving healthcare access and combating diseases worldwide.