Bill Gates spoke candidly at a town hall with employees of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, addressing newly released documents detailing his past association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
According to a foundation spokesperson, Gates “took responsibility for his actions” during the meeting, which followed the Justice Department’s release of additional emails elaborating on his interactions with Epstein.
In a recording of the session cited by The Wall Street Journal, Gates said he “did nothing illicit” in his dealings with Epstein and did not stay overnight at his residences, though the two met in multiple countries. The newly disclosed emails showed discussions ranging from philanthropic fundraising and global health initiatives to Microsoft’s CEO search and even a $1 bet on the euro’s performance.
Gates also tells staff he had affairs with two Russian women a bridge player and a nuclear physicist and says longtime associate Boris Nikolic had discussed those relationships with Epstein, according to the Journal. Gates and Melinda French Gates divorced in 2021 after previously serving as co-chairs of the foundation.
A foundation representative said Gates answered pre-submitted staff questions on topics including the Epstein files, the organisation’s artificial intelligence work and the future of global health. The spokesperson described his remarks as detailed and candid.
The foundation previously states that a small number of employees interacted with Epstein because he claimed he could mobilise significant philanthropic funding for global health and development. It said no money was ever paid to Epstein and no fund was created. In a statement, the foundation condemns the harm Epstein inflicted on women and girls as horrific.
The fallout from the Justice Department’s January release of millions of pages of documents has affected politicians, academics and business leaders. Earlier this week, Dr. Peter Attia resigned as a contributor to CBS News, calling emails involving him “embarrassing, tasteless, and indefensible.”
Gates has repeatedly acknowledged that meeting Epstein was a mistake, and the foundation recently announces he will no longer attend a planned artificial intelligence summit in India.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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