Documents Tying Bill Gates to Jeffrey Epstein Prompt Responses from Gates and Ex-Wife

Recent disclosures from a U.S. Department of Justice investigation into Jeffrey Epstein have prompted public statements from Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates regarding documents that mention Mr. Gates in connection with the late sex offender.

Document Contents

The U.S. Justice Department released approximately 3 million pages of documents related to its investigation of Epstein. The materials include emails written by Epstein referencing Mr. Gates.

A 2013 email written by Epstein to himself reportedly contained allegations that Mr. Gates had contracted a sexually transmitted disease and sought to secretly provide antibiotics to his then-wife, Melinda French Gates. In the same email, Epstein expressed dismay that Mr. Gates was ending their friendship over an "accident."

Another email from 2013 reportedly shows Epstein accusing Mr. Gates of involving him in activities Epstein described as "morally inappropriate" and "ethically unsound." That email referenced helping Mr. Gates obtain drugs, facilitating trysts with married women, and providing Adderall for bridge tournaments. Epstein claimed he resigned from roles with the Gates Foundation and BG3, a think tank founded by Mr. Gates, because he became caught in a marital dispute between Mr. Gates and Ms. French Gates.

"The claims in these documents are absolutely absurd and completely false." — Spokesperson for Bill Gates

Responses from Bill Gates

Mr. Gates said the allegations in the emails are false. He stated that the 2013 email was written by Epstein to himself and was never sent. Mr. Gates characterized his interactions with Epstein as limited to dinners. He stated that he never visited Epstein's island or met any women through Epstein.

A spokesperson for Mr. Gates described the claims in the documents as "absolutely absurd and completely false" and stated that the documents demonstrate Epstein's frustration over not having an ongoing relationship with Mr. Gates, as well as Epstein's efforts to "entrap and defame."

Mr. Gates said he first met Epstein in 2011, after Epstein's 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor. He stated that his motivation for the meetings was to connect with wealthy individuals who might donate to the Gates Foundation. He expressed regret for spending time with Epstein.

Response from Melinda French Gates

Ms. French Gates, in an interview on NPR's Wild Card podcast, said she experienced "unbelievable sadness" upon learning of the allegations in the released documents. She stated that the details reactivate "very, very painful times in my marriage."

Ms. French Gates said that any remaining questions regarding these matters are for Mr. Gates and other individuals named in the documents to address, not her.

"There were very, very painful times in my marriage." — Melinda French Gates

Marital and Foundation History

Ms. French Gates and Mr. Gates were married for 27 years before divorcing in 2021. Ms. French Gates previously stated that Mr. Gates 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. She stated that she felt she had no choice but to leave both her marriage and the foundation. She expressed hope for justice for the women involved in Epstein's crimes.

Context of Mr. Gates's Public Statements

Mr. Gates's statements were made in an interview with Nine News in Australia, where he was present for both vacation and to advocate for the Gates Foundation's initiatives to fund the eradication of preventable childhood diseases.