Bill Gates calls relationship with Jeffrey Epstein 'huge mistake'

Bill Gates called his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein a “huge mistake” as he spoke for the first time about his divorce from wife Melinda.

The Microsoft co-founder is reported to have met Epstein dozens of times from 2011 to 2014, several years after the billionaire financier pleaded guilty and was convicted in 2008 of procuring a child for prostitution.

Melinda French Gates was concerned about her then-husband’s contact with the convicted paedophile, according to the New York Times, which said she hired divorce lawyers in 2019 after the meetings became public.

“I had several dinners with him hoping that what he said about getting billions of philanthropy for global health through contacts he had might emerge,” Mr Gates told CNN, in his first interview since his divorce was finalised this week. “When it looked like that wasn’t a real thing that relationship ended.”

During some of the meetings, Mr Gates reportedly spoke to Epstein about possibly getting involved with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

“It was a huge mistake to spend time with him, to give him the credibility,” Mr Gates continued. “I made a mistake.”

Mr Gates declined to respond to reporting that his social connection to the late financier played a role in his divorce.

“Certainly everyone does (have regrets) but it's a time of reflection, and at this point, I need to go forward,” Mr Gates said. “My work is very important to me, within the family we'll heal as best we can and learn from what's happening.”

The tech magnate has focused most of his time in recent years on global health issues through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The couple will determine over the next two years whether it is possible for them to continue their foundation work together. If not, Mr Gates will pay his ex-wife to leave the foundation using his own personal funds.

However, Mr Gates told CNN he hopes Melinda will stay.

“That would definitely be the best thing for the foundation,” he said. “Melinda has incredible strengths that she brings that help the foundation be better.”

The couple announced their split in May after 27 years of marriage.

It emerged shortly afterwards that Microsoft was investigating a complaint that Mr Gates had "sought to initiate an intimate relationship" with a female employee in 2000. The investigation ended after Mr Gates left the board, but Microsoft said the two were not linked.

Mr Gates, 65 and his wife Melinda, 56, said their marriage was “irretrievably broken” in court documents. They revealed that Mrs French Gates does not wish to change her name, nor does she see the need to seek spousal support.

Filings made since the announcement show that Mr Gates’ holding company Cascade Investment has transferred a number of shares to Mrs French Gates.

In the interview broadcast on Wednesday evening, Mr Gates described Melinda, with whom he had three adult children, as "a great person, and that partnership that we had coming to an end is a source of great personal sadness".