Bill Gates Apologizes to Foundation Staff Over Epstein Ties and Personal Conduct

Bill Gates has reportedly apologized to employees of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation over his past relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as well as personal matters that later became public.

According to a statement provided to Reuters by a spokesperson for the foundation, Gates “took responsibility for his actions” during a recent town hall meeting with staff. The comments followed a report by The Wall Street Journal, which cited a recording of the internal meeting in which Gates addressed his past decisions directly.

During the session, Gates acknowledged that spending time with Epstein after his conviction was a “huge mistake.” He reportedly told staff that he regretted bringing foundation executives into meetings with the disgraced financier and apologized to colleagues who were impacted by the fallout.

“I apologize to other people who are drawn into this because of the mistake that I made,” Gates was quoted as saying.

Previously released documents from the U.S. Department of Justice indicated that Gates and Epstein met multiple times after Epstein had served a prison sentence. The meetings were said to involve discussions about philanthropic initiatives and expanding Gates’ charitable efforts. Gates has consistently maintained that his interactions with Epstein were limited to philanthropy-related conversations and that he deeply regrets those meetings.

The Journal report also stated that Gates addressed allegations concerning two extramarital affairs with Russian women, which Epstein reportedly became aware of. Gates reportedly told staff that the relationships did not involve any of Epstein’s victims and emphasized that he had engaged in no illicit conduct.

“I did nothing illicit. I saw nothing illicit,” he reportedly said during the town hall.

Additional DOJ documents included photographs of Gates posing with women whose identities were redacted. According to the report, Gates explained that the images were taken at Epstein’s request, often with Epstein’s assistants present after meetings.

Gates reiterated that he never spent time with any of Epstein’s victims and sought to clarify the extent of his association with the financier.

The apology comes as public scrutiny continues around high-profile figures connected to Epstein. For the Gates Foundation — one of the world’s largest philanthropic organizations — the internal discussion appears aimed at addressing staff concerns and reinforcing transparency within the institution.

While Gates has previously expressed regret over his interactions with Epstein, the town hall marked one of the most direct acknowledgments to foundation employees regarding the broader impact of those ties.