Gates claims he 'never spent any time with victims'
Bill Gates has apologised to employees of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for his past ties with Jeffrey Epstein, calling them a "huge mistake," according to reports.
Gates, during an internal town hall, acknowledged he had brought foundation executives to meetings with Epstein and said the relationship had damaged the organisation's reputation, The Guardian reported.
He told staff it was a "huge mistake to spend time with Epstein" and to involve senior foundation figures in those encounters, according to the outlet.
Gates, the Microsoft co‑founder and co‑chair of one of the world's largest philanthropic organisations, also directly addressed employees about the impact of the revelations on those around him.
"I apologise to other people who are drawn into this because of the mistake that I made," he said as quoted by The Guardian.
Ties with Epstein
The remarks follow the release of US Department of Justice files that included emails Epstein wrote to himself and photographs of Gates with women whose faces were redacted, The Guardian reported.
Gates told staff Epstein had asked him to pose for those images with his assistants, according to the same report.
"To be clear, I never spent any time with victims, the women around him," he said.
The executive also told employees he started meeting Epstein in 2011, several years after Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting a minor for prostitution.
He added that he was aware of an "18-month thing" limiting Epstein's travel but admitted he did not properly investigate his background before agreeing to meet him.
Gates also acknowledged his personal misconduct issues, telling staff he had two extramarital affairs — one with a Russian bridge player he met at competitions and another with a Russian nuclear physicist he met through business activities.
Describing the impact on the Gates Foundation, Gates said his connection with Epstein ran counter to the organisation's principles.
A foundation spokesperson told the Wall Street Journal that Gates holds town halls twice a year and that, at this week's session, he "spoke candidly, addressing several questions in detail, and took responsibility for his actions," according to The Guardian.
Leaders face scrutiny over Epstein links
Gates's remarks come amid widening fallout for high‑profile executives whose past interactions with Epstein have been exposed in recently released US Justice Department documents.
World Economic Forum president and CEO Børge Brende announced he is stepping down after an independent review of his dealings with Epstein, the Geneva‑based organisation said.
Brende attended several business dinners with Epstein and exchanged emails and text messages with him. An external legal review commissioned by the WEF board found no issues beyond previously disclosed contacts, but Brende said he wanted the organisation to continue its work "without distractions."
In the US, Hyatt Hotels executive chairman Tom Pritzker is also retiring from his role after Justice Department documents showed he exchanged emails with Epstein in 2018.
Pritzker said in a previous statement that "good stewardship also means protecting Hyatt, particularly in the context of my association with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell which I deeply regret."
In the United Arab Emirates, Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem was recently replaced as chairman and CEO of logistics giant DP World over his association with Epstein.
