Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft, has expressed regret for his meetings with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who was also charged with child sex trafficking. The tech billionaire told CNN that he had ‘several dinners’ with Epstein in the hopes of raising billions of dollars to combat global health issues. The relationship ended, according to Gates, when he realised Epstein’s assurance about the philanthropy project wasn’t a ‘real thing.’
Also: Israeli Air Force conducts airstrikes on Lebanon first time in seven years
‘I had several dinners with him, you know, hoping that what he said about getting billions of philanthropy for global health through contacts that he had might emerge. When it looked like that wasn’t a real thing, that relationship ended,’ the Microsoft co-founder said.
Bill Gates and his wife Melinda French Gates divorced in May, sparking media speculation about the former’s alleged extramarital affairs.
Melinda had been working with the divorce lawyer for over a year before the couple announced their separation, partly because of her husband’s dealings with Epstein, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Epstein hanged himself in 2019 while awaiting a sex trafficking trial after pleading guilty to two state prostitution charges and registering as a sex offender.
READ: India’s Cumulative COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage crossed landmark of 49 Cr
‘It was a huge mistake to spend time with him, to give him the credibility of being there,’ Gates told CNN while declining to respond to the WSJ report that linked his divorce with the Epstein connection.
‘It’s a time of reflection, and at this point, I need to go forward,’ he added.
Post Your Comments