“You know, I had dinners with him,” said Bill Gates Tuesday regarding his relationship with the late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. “Ah, I regret doing that.”
Gates had met with Epstein with the hopes of raising money, PBS NewsHour journalist Judy Woodruff added. Gates confirmed that Epstein had “relationships with people he said, you know, would give to global health, which is an interest I have.”
In addition to founding the Microsoft computer software company, Gates created the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation with his ex-wife. The charitable organization focuses on alleviating global poverty, disease and inequity.
Gates still believes that more philanthropy should be directed at global health matters, but he now thinks that meeting with Epstein was a mistake.
Woodruff said that Gates reportedly met with Epstein multiple times over the course of several years. He did not refute her and he did not divulge how much he knew of Epstein’s sex offender past. Gates said “well, he’s dead, so,” when Woodruff asked if there was a lesson to be learned from the experience.
“You know, in general, you always have to be careful,” he said with a smile. “And, you know, and I'm very proud of what we've done in philanthropy, very proud of the work of the foundation. That's why I get up every day and focus on.”
Epstein had relationships with other high-profile people, including former U.S. presidents Donald Trump and Bill Clinton; Prince Andrew, Duke of York and Leslie Wexner, founder of the company behind The Limited and Victoria’s Secret.
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