Responses from Bill and Melinda French Gates Following Epstein Document Release
The recent release of U.S. government documents related to Jeffrey Epstein has prompted public responses from Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates. The approximately 3 million pages released by the U.S. Justice Department have brought renewed attention to Bill Gates's past association with Epstein, which both parties have addressed.
Melinda French Gates Shares Reflections
In an interview on NPR's Wild Card podcast, Melinda French Gates shared her emotional response to the newly disclosed information. She stated she experienced "unbelievable sadness" upon learning of the allegations contained within the documents.
"Unbelievable sadness" was the primary emotion Melinda French Gates described feeling when confronted with the details in the documents.
She noted that these details reactivate "very, very painful times in my marriage." Ms. French Gates clarified that any remaining questions regarding these matters are for "those people and for even my ex-husband" to address.
She also described the child sexual abuse allegations as "beyond heartbreaking" and suggested a societal "reckoning." Ms. French Gates stated she has deliberately moved on and is now in an "unexpected, beautiful place" in her life, expressing happiness to be "away from all the muck that was there."
Bill Gates's Denials and Explanations
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates publicly addressed the allegations in interviews with Nine News and 9News Australia, denying claims detailed in a 2013 email from Jeffrey Epstein. The email suggested Gates contracted a sexually transmitted disease and sought to secretly provide antibiotics to his then-wife.
Mr. Gates stated the email was false and emphasized that it "was never sent."
Mr. Gates expressed regret for any time spent with Epstein, describing his past association as "foolish" and stating he regrets "every minute" of their interactions. He clarified that his interactions with Epstein were limited to dinners.
"I never went to the island. I never met any women," Mr. Gates asserted.
He further stated that his time with Epstein, though a mistake, was unrelated to the type of behavior Epstein was known for.
A spokesperson for Mr. Gates separately affirmed that while Mr. Gates acknowledges meeting Epstein was a serious error in judgment, he "unequivocally denies any improper conduct related to Epstein and the horrible activities in which Epstein was involved." The spokesperson added that Mr. Gates never visited Epstein's island, attended parties with him, or had involvement in any illegal activities associated with Epstein.
Mr. Gates stated he first met Epstein in 2011, after Epstein's 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor. He explained that his motivation for these meetings was to connect with wealthy individuals who might donate to the Gates Foundation.
Details of Epstein's Allegations
Documents indicate that Bill Gates is mentioned in Epstein's personal communications and met with him on multiple occasions after Epstein's prison sentence to discuss philanthropic initiatives.
An email reportedly sent by Epstein to himself in 2013 suggested that Mr. Gates had contracted a sexually transmitted disease and intended to secretly administer antibiotics to Melinda. In this email, Epstein reportedly expressed dismay that Mr. Gates was ending their friendship over an "accident."
The email text included:
"TO add insult to injury you them implore me to please delete the emails mails regarding your std, your request that I provide you antibiotics that you can surreptitiously give to Melinda and the description of your penis."
Another email from the same year reportedly shows Epstein accusing Mr. Gates of involving him in "morally inappropriate" and "ethically unsound" activities. This email mentioned:
"helping Bill to get drugs, in order to deal with consequences of sex with russian girls, to facilitating his illicit trysts, with married women, to being asked to provide adderall fro bridge tournamnts [sic]."
Epstein claimed he resigned from roles with the Gates Foundation and BG3, a think tank founded by Bill Gates, because he became "caught up in a severe marital dispute between Melinda and Bill."
Spokesperson's Response and Marital Context
A spokesperson for Mr. Gates described these claims as "absolutely absurd and completely false."
The spokesperson added that the documents highlight:
"Epstein's frustration that he did not have an ongoing relationship with Gates and the lengths he would go to entrap and defame."
Melinda and Bill Gates were married for 27 years, divorcing in 2021. Ms. French Gates previously stated that her ex-husband had an affair with a Microsoft staffer in 2019, which Mr. Gates confirmed in 2021. Ms. French Gates resigned from the Gates Foundation in 2024, stating in the NPR interview that she felt she "had no other choice." She indicated that her ex-husband's association with Epstein was a contributing factor to their divorce.