Admits ‘huge mistake’, says he did nothing illegal
February 25, 2026: American tech entrepreneur Bill Gates has apologised to staff at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation over his past association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, while insisting he “did nothing illicit,” according to an exclusive report by The Wall Street Journal. During a town hall meeting, Gates acknowledged that spending time with Epstein and introducing foundation executives to him was “a huge mistake” that cast a shadow over the foundation’s reputation. He clarified that he never spent time with Epstein’s victims and that the photographs showing him with women were taken at Epstein’s request after meetings.
Gates said he first met Epstein in 2011, three years after Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting a minor for prostitution, and admitted he failed to properly scrutinise his background. He continued meeting him until 2014, even after his then-wife Melinda French Gates expressed concerns. “To give her credit, she was always kind of skeptical about the Epstein thing,” Gates said, adding that he never stayed overnight with Epstein or visited his private island. He acknowledged that his presence in meetings with other high-profile figures may have unintentionally lent credibility to Epstein.
Addressing his personal life, Gates admitted to having had two affairs with Russian women but maintained that none of his actions involved illegal conduct or Epstein’s victims. Epstein died by suicide in a New York jail cell in August 2019 after being indicted on federal sex trafficking charges. A spokesperson for the Gates Foundation said Gates holds such town halls twice a year and spoke candidly, taking responsibility for his actions while addressing staff concerns in detail.