Bill Gates Rejects New Epstein Email Claims

Bill Gates says a new batch of Jeffrey Epstein documents may mention him—but not accurately. In an interview with Australia's 9News, the Microsoft co-founder rejected draft emails Epstein apparently wrote to himself that suggest Gates used Epstein to arrange encounters with women and later contracted an STI that required medication. "Apparently, Jeffrey wrote an email to himself. That email was never sent. The email is false," Gates said. "I don't know what his thinking was there. Was he trying to attack me in some way?"

"Every minute I spent with him, I regret," Gates said, adding he never visited Epstein's island or had sexual relationships facilitated by him. "It's factually true that I was only at dinners," Gates said, per Australia's ABC. Gates said he met Epstein in 2011, hoping the financier could connect him with wealthy donors for global health projects—a judgment he now calls "foolish" and a "dead end."

His interview follows one given to NPR by ex-wife Melinda French Gates, who said the new documents dredge up "very, very painful" times in her marriage but that any questions need to be answered by her former husband, not her. In the broader 9News interview, Gates touched on topics ranging from AI to Australia's under-16 social media ban; read it here.