Bill Gates ‘took responsibility’ for Epstein ties during foundation town hall, spokesperson says

Bill Gates addressed his past association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein during a recent town hall meeting with staff at the Gates Foundation, saying he “took responsibility for his actions,” according to a foundation spokesperson.

The comments followed a report by The Wall Street Journal, which said Gates apologized to employees for spending time with Epstein and for involving foundation executives in meetings with him. Citing a recording of the session, the newspaper reported that Gates described the association as “a huge mistake.”

Documents previously released by the US Department of Justice show that Gates and Epstein met multiple times after Epstein served a prison term, reportedly to discuss philanthropic initiatives. According to the Journal, Gates told staff he “did nothing illicit” and said he never spent time with Epstein’s victims.

The foundation spokesperson told Reuters that the town hall was scheduled and covered a range of issues, including the release of Epstein-related files. “Bill spoke candidly, addressing several questions in detail, and took responsibility for his actions,” the spokesperson said, adding that the foundation had no further comment.

Earlier this month, the Gates Foundation said it did not make any financial payments to Epstein or employ him at any time. Founded in 2000 by Gates and his then-wife, the organization is one of the world’s largest funders of global health initiatives.