Bill Gates said he “regrets every minute” he ever spent with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, speaking publicly after newly released Justice Department files mentioned the Microsoft co-founder.
In an interview with Nine News Australia published on Wednesday (Feb 4), Gates described his past interactions with Epstein as a serious mistake and rejected claims Epstein made about him in the documents.
‘I regret every minute I spent with him’
“It just reminds me that I regret every minute that I spent with him and I’m sorry that I did it,” Gates said.
Gates called his decision to meet with Epstein “foolish” and added that the allegations attributed to Epstein were “false”.
“Jeffrey apparently wrote an email. That email was never sent, the email is fake,” Gates said. “So I don’t know what he was thinking. Was he trying to attack me in some way?”
Gates met with Epstein after the conviction
Gates admitted that he met Epstein in 2011 — years after Epstein had already been convicted of sex crimes.
He denied ever visiting Epstein’s private island.
“He always focused on the fact that he knew a lot of very rich people and said he could get them to give money to global health,” Gates said. “Back then it was a dead end.
“I was stupid to spend time with him,” he added. “I was one of the many people who regret ever knowing him.
Epstein’s emails allege misconduct
Among the newly released files are a series of emails from 2013 that Epstein sent himself in which he made unverified claims about Gates.
In one email, dated July 18, 2013, Epstein wrote that he had resigned from a role associated with the Gates Foundation and BG3, a think tank founded by Gates, after being “drawn into a serious marital dispute between Melinda and Bill.”
Epstein further alleged that these activities included helping Gates obtain drugs.
Gates denies the allegations
In a statement to NBC News on Tuesday, a spokesman for Gates outright denied Epstein’s claims.
“These claims are completely absurd and completely false,” the statement said. “The only thing these documents show is Epstein’s frustration at not having an ongoing relationship with Gates and how long he could go to trap and gossip.”
Melinda French Gates reacts
Gates’ ex-wife Melinda French Gates said she felt “incredible sadness” when her ex-husband’s name appeared in the latest Epstein-related documents.
“Whatever questions remain … for those people, and even for my ex-husband, those things have to be answered by them, not me,” she said on NPR’s Wild Card podcast. “And I’m so happy to be away from all that mud that was there.
Read also | How to review Jeffrey Epstein files: DOJ releases thousands of photos and videos
Powerful characters named in the Epstein files
Gates is among several high-profile figures named in millions of Justice Department documents linked to Epstein. Others named include President Donald Trump, Elon Musk and former President Bill Clinton.
None of them have been charged with Epstein-related crimes by authorities, and all have denied wrongdoing. Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have agreed to testify before Congress about the Epstein case in the near future.
Background to the Epstein case
Jeffrey Epstein died in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide.
His former girlfriend and accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell, is the only person convicted in connection with Epstein’s crimes and is currently serving a prison sentence in Texas.
Read also | Andrew leaves Windsor home amid Epstein Files row: Who will finance his new home?
