'I was foolish': Bill Gates addresses friendship with Jeffrey Epstein
What's the story
In a recent interview with The Wall Street Journal, former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates expressed regret over his past interactions with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
He called these meetings a "huge mistake" and admitted that he was "foolish to spend any time with him."
Gates thought associating with Epstein would help his global health philanthropy efforts but it didn't yield results.
Philanthropic purpose
Gates's meetings with Epstein had philanthropic intentions
Gates clarified that his meetings with Epstein were for philanthropic purposes.
He said, "In retrospect, I was foolish to spend any time with him. And he, sort of, got time with various people by spending time with other people."
"So yes, I think I was quite stupid. I thought it would help me with global health philanthropy. In fact, it failed to do that it was just a huge mistake."
Controversy
Gates's meetings with Epstein sparked controversy
The controversies over Gates's meetings with Epstein have made him more careful about making new acquaintances.
When asked if the fallout of his association with Epstein had made him cautious about making friends, he replied in the affirmative.
"Definitely," he said with a laugh. "I mean, are you kidding?"
The WSJ had earlier reported in 2023 that Epstein threatened to expose Gates for allegedly having an affair while married to Melinda French Gates.
Alleged threat
Epstein's alleged threat to Gates over charitable fund
The WSJ reported Epstein had unsuccessfully tried to rope Gates into a charitable fund.
In 2017, Epstein emailed Gates asking for reimbursement for money he had spent on sending Mila Antonova, a Russian bridge player Gates was allegedly involved with, to a software coding school.
The email hinted Epstein could expose their alleged relationship if their association wasn't maintained. However, no payment was made in response to this request.
Marital discord
Gates's meetings with Epstein caused marital discord
Gates's meetings with Epstein reportedly strained his marriage to Melinda.
An insider told PEOPLE in 2021 that these meetings had been a point of contention for Melinda for years.
The New York Times reported that Gates first met Epstein after he had already served jail time for soliciting prostitution from a minor and was a registered sex offender.
Nevertheless, they met several times to discuss fundraising efforts for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which never materialized.