Bill Gates Calls Meetings with Jeffrey Epstein a 'Huge Mistake'

The billionaire reflects on his association with the convicted sex offender, its impact on his philanthropy, and its role in his divorce from Melinda Gates.

Bill Gates admitted in a recent interview that his meetings with Jeffrey Epstein were a 'huge mistake' and did not advance his philanthropic goals as he had initially hoped.
Epstein reportedly attempted to leverage knowledge of Gates' alleged affair with Russian bridge player Mila Antonova to pressure him into joining a charitable fund in 2017, though Gates denies any financial dealings with Epstein.
The association with Epstein contributed to the breakdown of Gates' marriage, with Melinda Gates citing it as one of the reasons for their 2021 divorce after 27 years of marriage.
Melinda Gates described her sole meeting with Epstein as deeply unsettling, calling him 'abhorrent' and 'evil personified,' and expressing immediate regret for the encounter.
Gates stated that Epstein's death in 2019 and the controversies surrounding their interactions have made him more cautious about forming new connections.