Bill Gates regrets friendship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, which played a role in divorce from Melinda: ‘Foolish’

Gates called his meetings with Epstein a mistake that negatively impacted his philanthropic goals, acknowledging the unwise nature of their interactions.

Bill Gates recently addressed his association with Jeffrey Epstein, calling it a huge mistake that not only failed to advance his philanthropic efforts but also contributed to the breakdown of his marriage with Melinda French Gates. In a recent interview with The Wall Street Journal, the Microsoft co-founder admitted that his decision to meet with the late convicted sex offender was ‘foolish.'

Following the recent disclosure of the Jeffrey Epstein list, an old video has gone viral where Bill Gates’ former wife, Melinda, is heard saying that her ex-husband’s association with the notorious paedophile was part of the reason for their divorce (New York State Sex Offender Registry via AP, File, REUTERS/Nic Bothma, photo by Thomas SAMSON / AFP)

Bill Gates addresses friendship with Jeffrey Epstein

Gates explained that his initial interactions with Epstein were motivated by the hope of leveraging the financier’s connections to support global health initiatives. However, he acknowledged the meetings were unwise and ineffective. "In retrospect, I was foolish to spend any time with him," Gates told WSJ. “And he, sort of, got time with various people by spending time with other people.”

He added, "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."

Reflecting on the controversies, Gates admitted the experience made him more cautious about building new connections. “Definitely,” he said when asked if the fallout influenced his approach to relationships.

Gates's friendship with Epstein contributed to his divorce from Melinda

Epstein’s criminal past and controversial reputation had long been a point of tension between Gates and Melinda, with sources describing the topic as a "sore spot" in their marriage. Reports have suggested that Epstein tried to exploit his connection with Gates in 2017 by threatening to reveal an alleged affair Gates had with Russian bridge player Mila Antonova.

Melinda French Gates earlier revealed that her decision to end her 27-year marriage to Bill Gates was influenced by several factors, including his association with Jeffrey Epstein. Speaking on CBS Mornings, she expressed her disapproval of her ex-husband’s meetings with the convicted sex offender, calling Epstein "abhorrent" and "evil personified" after meeting him once.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Epstein paid for Antonova’s coding education and attempted to leverage this financial involvement to pressure Gates into joining a charitable fund. A spokesperson for Gates has firmly denied any financial dealings with Epstein and stated that the association was strictly philanthropic in nature.

A spokesperson for the Billionaire at the time told People, "Mr. Gates met with Epstein solely for philanthropic purposes. Having failed repeatedly to draw Mr. Gates beyond these matters, Epstein tried unsuccessfully to leverage a past relationship to threaten Mr. Gates."

Epstein, who had served jail time and was registered as a sex offender, died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Gates has since expressed regret for ever meeting him