Bill Gates Addresses Epstein Ties in Gates Foundation Town Hall

Bill Gates took responsibility for his past associations with Jeffrey Epstein during a Gates Foundation town hall meeting. Gates acknowledged the mistake of meeting Epstein and involved the foundation in related discussions. He addressed questions, emphasizing no illicit acts and limited interactions focused solely on philanthropy discussions.

Bill Gates publicly acknowledged his past ties with the late Jeffrey Epstein during a town hall with Gates Foundation employees. A spokesperson confirmed on Tuesday that Gates took responsibility for his association and characterized it as a mistake, responding to information reported by the Wall Street Journal.

According to U.S. Department of Justice documents, Gates and Epstein met after the latter's prison term to discuss potential philanthropy projects. Gates labeled his interactions with Epstein, who was a convicted sex offender, as a significant error, and expressed regret for involving other Gates Foundation executives in these meetings.

Gates denied any illicit behavior linked to Epstein's activities, clarifying that his contact with Epstein was limited to professional discussions. Meanwhile, the Gates Foundation stated it never engaged financially with Epstein. Gates recently withdrew from India's AI Impact Summit as scrutiny over the matter continued.

(With inputs from agencies.)