Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates has moved to distance himself from claims linking him to newly released Jeffrey Epstein files, dismissing the allegations as false and misleading.
According to TMZ, the controversy emerged after the US Department of Justice made public more than three million documents, some of which included emails Epstein allegedly sent to his own account containing unverified claims about Gates.
Speaking to 9 News Australia, Gates said the email in question was fabricated.
“Apparently, Jeffrey wrote an email to himself. That email was never sent; the email is false. I don’t know what his thinking was there,” he said.
In the messages, Epstein levelled foul sexual claims against the tech mogul, which Gates has since firmly denied.
Addressing his past association with Epstein, Gates said their interactions were limited to meetings and dinners between 2011 and 2013, which he now regrets.
“I met Jeffrey in 2011, so over a period of three years I had a number of dinners with him. The focus was always that he claimed he could help raise money from wealthy people for global health. In retrospect, that was a dead end,” he said.
The 70-year-old Microsoft co-founder added that spending time with Epstein was a serious mistake.
“I’ve said many times, and I’ll say again, I was foolish to spend time with him. I was one of many people who regret ever knowing him.”
When asked why Epstein would make such claims, Gates reiterated that his interactions never went beyond dinners.
“It’s factually true that I was only at dinners. I never went to the island. I never met any women. The more that comes out, the clearer it will be that, although the time was a mistake, it had nothing to do with that kind of behaviour,” he said.
Gates’ ex-wife, Melinda French Gates, has also commented on the renewed attention, saying the matter reopened “painful times” in their marriage.
“I feel unbelievable sadness,” she said, adding that she was relieved to be removed from what she described as “all the muck.”
A spokesperson for Gates told the BBC that while he acknowledges meeting Epstein was an error in judgment, he denies any involvement in Epstein’s criminal activities.
“Mr Gates unequivocally denies any improper conduct related to Epstein and the horrible activities in which Epstein was involved,” the statement said.
The renewed debate has sparked mixed reactions online, with some social media users questioning Gates’ explanations, while others expressed support for victims connected to the Epstein case.