Melinda French Gates says Bill Gates’ appearance in Epstein files revives painful memories from their marriage and divorce.
Billionaire philanthropist Melinda French Gates has said the emergence of new Jeffrey Epstein-related documents naming her former husband, Bill Gates, has resurfaced “very painful times” from their marriage.
Speaking on NPR’s Wild Card podcast, French Gates said she feels “unbelievable sadness” about the latest revelations and believes those named in the files must answer questions themselves. “I am so happy to be away from all the muck,” she said.
The couple divorced in 2021 after 27 years of marriage.
Records released by the US Department of Justice last week include allegations made by Epstein concerning Bill Gates, including a claim that the Microsoft co-founder contracted a sexually transmitted disease. Bill Gates has strongly denied the allegation, with a spokesperson describing it as “absolutely absurd” and “completely false.”
“These claims from a proven, disgruntled liar are absolutely absurd and completely false,” the spokesperson said.
Bill Gates has not been accused of wrongdoing by any of Epstein’s victims, and his appearance in the documents does not imply criminal activity of any kind.
In the podcast interview, French Gates said: “For me, it’s personally hard whenever those details come up, right? Because it brings back memories of some very, very painful times in my marriage.”
She added that unresolved questions surrounding Epstein’s network are not hers to answer. “Whatever questions remain there of what, I can’t even begin to know all of it those questions are for those people and for even my ex-husband. They need to answer to those things, not me.”
US media have previously reported that prior to their separation, French Gates was upset about her husband’s association with Epstein. Following the announcement of their divorce, Bill Gates acknowledged having had an affair with a Microsoft employee in 2019.
The allegations involving Gates appear within more than three million documents released by the justice department. Among them are two emails dated 18 July 2013 that appear to have been drafted by Epstein. It is unclear whether the emails were ever sent.
Both messages originated from Epstein’s email account and were sent back to the same address. No email account associated with Gates appears in the records, and neither message is signed.
One email is written in the form of a resignation letter from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, claiming Epstein had been required to procure medicine for Bill Gates “to deal with the consequences of sex with Russian girls”. The second, beginning “dear Bill”, alleges that Gates attempted to conceal a sexually transmitted infection, including from his then-wife.
Bill Gates and his representatives have consistently downplayed his relationship with Epstein, stating they met only for “several dinners” to discuss a philanthropic initiative that never materialised.
Responding to the latest document release, Gates’s spokesperson said the records show only Epstein’s anger at not maintaining a relationship with Gates and “the lengths he would go to entrap and defame.”
The newly released files offer further insight into Epstein’s extensive network of politicians, business leaders and celebrities, some of whom maintained contact with him even after his 2008 conviction for soliciting sex from a 14-year-old girl.
Epstein died in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges.
