Bill Gates gives ‘awkward’ interview when quizzed about Jeffrey Epstein relationship

Bill Gates gives 'awkward' interview when quizzed about Jeffrey Epstein relationship

Image of Bill Gates. Credit: Paolo Bona / Shutterstock.com

Television host Sarah Ferguson expertly grilled Bill Gates over his alleged relationship with the late paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Bill Gates endured a very awkward interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation on Monday evening, January 30. Among other things, he faced a grilling over his alleged relationship with the late billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

From 2011 onwards, Gates met on many occasions with the disgraced financier according to The New York Times. Epstein had already pleaded guilty to soliciting an underage girl in Florida and the press was picking up on stories that he was being accused of further instances involving young women.

As reported by The Daily Beast, Bill Gates met with Epstein at his New York mansion in the Upper East Side in September 2013. He was accompanied by his then-wife, Melinda Gates, who, according to the news outlet, took an instant dislike to their host.

It was then revealed that after their meeting at Epstein’s home, Melinda told Bill that he should stay away from him and that he made her feel uncomfortable.

The former Microsoft boss – who is the world’s sixth richest man – was expertly grilled by host Sarah Ferguson. “One of the issues that have dogged you is your relationship with Epstein. Do you regret the relationship that you maintained with him against Melinda’s advice and wishes?”, the host enquired.

Clearly ruffled, Gates replied: “You’re going way back… but I will say for the over a hundredth time that, yeah, I shouldn’t have had dinners with him”.

Unrelenting, Ferguson pressed him: “Epstein had a way of sexually compromising people. Is that what Melinda was warning you about?. A little lost for words, Gates eventually responded: “No. I mean, uh … no… I had dinner with him, and that’s all”.

“And that you regret the acquittance?”, the host fired back. “That I had dinner with him, yes”, replied Gates.

Without letting up, the host then quizzed the philanthropist about the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. She asked if he had any regrets about any alleged links that Epstein was rumoured to have had with it. “There never was any relationship of any kind”, Gates retorted.

By 2014 it was noted by The New York Times that the pair appeared to have stopped meeting. Epstein apparently even complained to friends that Gates had stopped speaking to him.

In July 2019, US federal charges of the sex trafficking of minors in Florida and New York were brought against Epstein and he was arrested. Before he could face a court he committed suicide in prison.

Jeffrey Epstein, Gates, Nikolic, appear with Larry Summers, the former Treasury Secretary, and JPMorgan executive, James Staley, in a photograph taken in Epstein’s Manhattan townhouse in 2011.

The Gates Foundation and JPMorgan are said to have started discussions around this time about creating a global charity that would fund healthcare projects in poor countries. Epstein wanted to be involved in the venture according to what colleagues of Staley’s at JPMorgan claim he told them.

According to The Times, since Epstein had millions of dollars sitting in accounts with JPMorgan, he held a lot of sway with the investment bank. The news outlet also reported the financier referring several wealthy future clients to JPMorgan.

Epstein reportedly proposed that he would solicit donations from his wealthy friends to help fund the projects. In return, for whatever amount of money he raised, he wanted a commission of 0.3 per cent.

Bill Gates was unaware that Epstein was looking to profit from the charity according to The Times. They added that Epstein’s claims were found to be unrealistic after teams from the foundation met with him. From that point, they apparently started to doubt his credibility. As a result, the charitable fund never materialised, as reported by dailymail.co.uk.

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Written by

Chris King

Originally from Wales, Chris spent years on the Costa del Sol before moving to the Algarve where he is a web reporter for The Euro Weekly News covering international and Spanish national news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com

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