External review to also assess the foundation's policies for vetting, developing new philanthropic partnerships
The Gates Foundation is looking into the organisation's past engagement with Jeffrey Epstein, after previously released emails from the US government revealed communication between the convicted sex offender and the foundation's staff.
In a statement, the foundation announced that CEO Mark Suzman commissioned an external review in March to "assess past foundation engagement with Epstein."
The review will also look at the foundation's current policies for vetting and developing new philanthropic partnerships.
"That review is underway, and we expect the board and management will receive an update this summer," the statement read.
Gates Foundation and Epstein
The external review comes after emails released by the US Department of Justice revealed communication between Epstein and Gates Foundation employees.
Based on the emails, a small number of foundation employees interacted with Epstein to secure potential funding from the sex offender, who claimed he could mobilise significant philanthropic resources for global health and development.
The Gates Foundation said in February that it was "aware" of the emails released by the US Justice Department, but stressed that the collaboration did not happen.
"Ultimately, the foundation did not pursue any collaboration with Epstein and no fund was ever created," the foundation said in its statement. "At no time were financial payments made by the foundation to Epstein, nor was he employed by the foundation at any time."
The foundation's external review is being carried out with the support of the its independent Governing Board members, as well as its Chair Bill Gates, who himself had been linked with Epstein in the US Justice Department's exposé.
The US Justice Department's files included emails that Epstein wrote to himself and photographs of Gates with women whose faces were redacted.
Gates reportedly apologised to employees in February during an internal town hall, saying it was a "huge mistake to spend time with Epstein."
