Melinda Gates says she was upset by Bill Gates’ meetings with Jeffrey Epstein

Ms. French Gates said on CBS that there were many cases that led to billionaires’ divorces but that she did not like that Mr. Gates had meetings with Mr. Epstein and made it clear to Mr. Gates. She said that she had once met Mr. Epstein himself. Ms. French Gates said in the interview: “I wanted to see who this man was, and I regretted it as soon as I stepped in the door. Afterwards I had nightmares about it; my heart broke for these young women. “

Ms French Gates and Mr Gates announced their divorce in May 2021, with documents previously saying the marriage was “unexpectedly broken.” The Wall Street Journal previously reported that Ms. French Gates is her ex-husband’s Mr. Epstein, with his concerns as of 2013. The Journal also reported that Ms French Gates and her divorce lawyers made several calls in October 2019, after media reports emerged that Mr Gates had met Mr Epstein on several occasions. ,

Ms. French Gates said there are any further questions for Mr. Gates to answer about Mr. Gates’ relationship with Mr. Epstein. In a statement issued by his spokesman on Thursday, Mr. Gates said: “Meeting with Epstein was a mistake that I deeply regret. It was a significant error in judgment.” He added that he is dedicated to his work at the Gates Foundation in partnership with Ms. French Gates. Mr Epstein died in prison in August 2019 awaiting trial on federal charges related to sex trafficking.

Ms French Gates acknowledged her hurt, anger and pain during and after the divorce. She also addressed a love affair with Mr. Gates in 2000, saying that she believed in forgiveness. Responding to a question whether Mr Gates had multiple affairs, Ms French Gates said she needed to answer those questions.

Ms. French Gates said, “It wasn’t a moment or a specific thing. There just came a time when there was enough that I realized it wasn’t healthy and I couldn’t believe whether we were.”

The Journal reports that a 2019 letter from a Microsoft employee about his past relationship with Mr. Gates prompted some Microsoft board members to investigate the matter, and that Mr. Gates resigned from the board amid that investigation. given. A spokesman for Mr Gates has said he had an affair about 20 years ago and that his decision to leave the Microsoft board in 2020 was not related to the matter.

Ms. French Gates also said the two still have a working relationship and remains co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, one of the world’s largest philanthropic causes, with endowments of more than $50 billion . The Gates Foundation recently named new board members, including outsiders for the first time, as part of efforts to add more governance and independence to the organization.

“I believe in that institution, I believe in what I do; my values ​​are ingrained in that institution,” Ms French Gates said in a CBS interview. She said she sometimes had tears in her eyes before an online meeting of the foundation, but she still rose to the occasion and the two may continue to do so.

In July, the foundation said that if after two years either of the co-chairs decides that they can no longer work together to lead the foundation, Ms. French Gates will negotiate the terms of a private agreement. Accordingly, will resign as Co-Chairman and Trustee. Divorce. If that happens, Ms. French Gates will receive funding from Mr. Gates, separate from the foundation’s endowment for her own philanthropic work.

“We definitely have a working relationship. I would say we’re friendly at the moment,” Ms. French Gates said in a CBS interview.

Ms French Gates published a new charity pledge at the end of 2021, recommending she give the bulk of her wealth, but did not specify that it would go only to the Gates Foundation. She also cited her own firm, Pivotal Ventures, in the letter, which focuses on issues affecting women and families.

“I believe that if you’re lucky enough to be a billionaire, believe me, you can give half of it and not change your life,” she told CBS.