Bill Gates met Epstein 30 times despite warnings over reputation risk, finds review
An external review found that Bill Gates and Gates Foundation staff met Jeffrey Epstein about 30 times between 2011 and 2014 despite internal concerns over reputational risks.
Microsoft founder Bill Gates and staff from his charitable foundation met convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein around 30 times between 2011 and 2014, even as employees raised concerns about the reputational risks of engaging with the disgraced financier, according to an external review commissioned by the Gates Foundation.
The review, conducted by law firm WilmerHale, found that the meetings largely centred on discussions about a proposed public health investment fund that never materialised and a grant to the International Peace Institute, a nonprofit led at the time by one of Epstein's associates. The law firm found no evidence that the foundation paid Epstein or engaged in any illegal conduct.
According to the review, the meetings included several visits to Epstein's Manhattan townhouse as well as one meeting on the Gates Foundation campus. On Tuesday, the Gates Foundation released a three-page summary of the review but did not indicate whether it would make the full report public.
Gates, who chairs the Gates Foundation, has not been accused of any involvement in Epstein's crimes and has consistently denied having any knowledge of Epstein's abuse of girls. Appearing before a congressional committee last month, Gates acknowledged that meeting Epstein had been a "grave error in judgment".
His name also appears in documents released by the US Justice Department as part of its investigation into Epstein. The files include the names of numerous influential figures from the technology, finance, political and business sectors, all of whom have denied any involvement in Epstein's criminal activities.
The 70-year-old tech mogul has repeatedly expressed regret over his association with Epstein and has denied ever spending time with Epstein's sexual abuse victims, also saying he never witnessed any criminal conduct by the disgraced financier.
Epstein was federally indicted in July 2019 on charges of sex trafficking of minors and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of minors. He died by suicide while awaiting trial.
The foundation's summary was released days after Warren Buffett, a longtime friend of Gates and one of the foundation's largest benefactors, omitted the Gates Foundation from his annual charitable donations this year.
According to the report, Buffett said the decision reflected his belief that his three children were prepared to oversee his fortune rather than being driven by Gates' "distasteful" association with Epstein.
The review said Gates' association with Epstein began after an adviser who worked with both the Gates Foundation and Gates' personal office introduced the two men. At that point, Epstein had already pleaded guilty, three years earlier, to soliciting prostitution from a minor.
During their interactions, Epstein proposed that Gates establish a charitable investment fund through which wealthy individuals could pool donations for global public health initiatives. At Gates' direction, foundation staff examined the legal structure and tax implications of the proposed fund.
Those discussions culminated in a breakfast meeting at Epstein's Manhattan residence in December 2014 attended by Gates, foundation staff and prospective donors. The review said Gates later concluded that Epstein had "misrepresented" the donors' willingness to participate, after which the foundation abandoned the proposal.
The review also found that Epstein facilitated an introduction between Gates and Terje Rod-Larsen, then president of the International Peace Institute, in 2012. The following year, the Gates Foundation entered into a grant agreement with the International Peace Institute related to polio eradication. Rod-Larsen resigned from the organisation in 2020 over his ties to Epstein.
Throughout the period covered by the review, Gates was aware of Epstein's prior sex offence conviction and was informed by foundation employees of concerns about the reputational risks associated with continuing to work with him on the charitable investment fund, according to the findings.
Following the review, Gates Foundation CEO Mark Suzman said the board had approved measures to strengthen the organisation's vetting procedures and risk management practices.
"The work we do depends on integrity and earning and maintaining the trust of partners," Suzman said in a press release. The foundation declined to provide further comment.
WilmerHale said its five-month review did not include access to Gates' personal communications and did not examine Epstein's interactions with Gates in his personal capacity.
Microsoft founder Bill Gates and staff from his charitable foundation met convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein around 30 times between 2011 and 2014, even as employees raised concerns about the reputational risks of engaging with the disgraced financier, according to an external review commissioned by the Gates Foundation.
The review, conducted by law firm WilmerHale, found that the meetings largely centred on discussions about a proposed public health investment fund that never materialised and a grant to the International Peace Institute, a nonprofit led at the time by one of Epstein's associates. The law firm found no evidence that the foundation paid Epstein or engaged in any illegal conduct.
According to the review, the meetings included several visits to Epstein's Manhattan townhouse as well as one meeting on the Gates Foundation campus. On Tuesday, the Gates Foundation released a three-page summary of the review but did not indicate whether it would make the full report public.
Gates, who chairs the Gates Foundation, has not been accused of any involvement in Epstein's crimes and has consistently denied having any knowledge of Epstein's abuse of girls. Appearing before a congressional committee last month, Gates acknowledged that meeting Epstein had been a "grave error in judgment".
His name also appears in documents released by the US Justice Department as part of its investigation into Epstein. The files include the names of numerous influential figures from the technology, finance, political and business sectors, all of whom have denied any involvement in Epstein's criminal activities.
The 70-year-old tech mogul has repeatedly expressed regret over his association with Epstein and has denied ever spending time with Epstein's sexual abuse victims, also saying he never witnessed any criminal conduct by the disgraced financier.
Epstein was federally indicted in July 2019 on charges of sex trafficking of minors and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of minors. He died by suicide while awaiting trial.
The foundation's summary was released days after Warren Buffett, a longtime friend of Gates and one of the foundation's largest benefactors, omitted the Gates Foundation from his annual charitable donations this year.
According to the report, Buffett said the decision reflected his belief that his three children were prepared to oversee his fortune rather than being driven by Gates' "distasteful" association with Epstein.
The review said Gates' association with Epstein began after an adviser who worked with both the Gates Foundation and Gates' personal office introduced the two men. At that point, Epstein had already pleaded guilty, three years earlier, to soliciting prostitution from a minor.
During their interactions, Epstein proposed that Gates establish a charitable investment fund through which wealthy individuals could pool donations for global public health initiatives. At Gates' direction, foundation staff examined the legal structure and tax implications of the proposed fund.
Those discussions culminated in a breakfast meeting at Epstein's Manhattan residence in December 2014 attended by Gates, foundation staff and prospective donors. The review said Gates later concluded that Epstein had "misrepresented" the donors' willingness to participate, after which the foundation abandoned the proposal.
The review also found that Epstein facilitated an introduction between Gates and Terje Rod-Larsen, then president of the International Peace Institute, in 2012. The following year, the Gates Foundation entered into a grant agreement with the International Peace Institute related to polio eradication. Rod-Larsen resigned from the organisation in 2020 over his ties to Epstein.
Throughout the period covered by the review, Gates was aware of Epstein's prior sex offence conviction and was informed by foundation employees of concerns about the reputational risks associated with continuing to work with him on the charitable investment fund, according to the findings.
Following the review, Gates Foundation CEO Mark Suzman said the board had approved measures to strengthen the organisation's vetting procedures and risk management practices.
"The work we do depends on integrity and earning and maintaining the trust of partners," Suzman said in a press release. The foundation declined to provide further comment.
WilmerHale said its five-month review did not include access to Gates' personal communications and did not examine Epstein's interactions with Gates in his personal capacity.
Microsoft founder Bill Gates and staff from his charitable foundation met convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein around 30 times between 2011 and 2014, even as employees raised concerns about the reputational risks of engaging with the disgraced financier, according to an external review commissioned by the Gates Foundation.
The review, conducted by law firm WilmerHale, found that the meetings largely centred on discussions about a proposed public health investment fund that never materialised and a grant to the International Peace Institute, a nonprofit led at the time by one of Epstein's associates. The law firm found no evidence that the foundation paid Epstein or engaged in any illegal conduct.
According to the review, the meetings included several visits to Epstein's Manhattan townhouse as well as one meeting on the Gates Foundation campus. On Tuesday, the Gates Foundation released a three-page summary of the review but did not indicate whether it would make the full report public.
Gates, who chairs the Gates Foundation, has not been accused of any involvement in Epstein's crimes and has consistently denied having any knowledge of Epstein's abuse of girls. Appearing before a congressional committee last month, Gates acknowledged that meeting Epstein had been a "grave error in judgment".
His name also appears in documents released by the US Justice Department as part of its investigation into Epstein. The files include the names of numerous influential figures from the technology, finance, political and business sectors, all of whom have denied any involvement in Epstein's criminal activities.
The 70-year-old tech mogul has repeatedly expressed regret over his association with Epstein and has denied ever spending time with Epstein's sexual abuse victims, also saying he never witnessed any criminal conduct by the disgraced financier.
Epstein was federally indicted in July 2019 on charges of sex trafficking of minors and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of minors. He died by suicide while awaiting trial.
The foundation's summary was released days after Warren Buffett, a longtime friend of Gates and one of the foundation's largest benefactors, omitted the Gates Foundation from his annual charitable donations this year.
According to the report, Buffett said the decision reflected his belief that his three children were prepared to oversee his fortune rather than being driven by Gates' "distasteful" association with Epstein.
The review said Gates' association with Epstein began after an adviser who worked with both the Gates Foundation and Gates' personal office introduced the two men. At that point, Epstein had already pleaded guilty, three years earlier, to soliciting prostitution from a minor.
During their interactions, Epstein proposed that Gates establish a charitable investment fund through which wealthy individuals could pool donations for global public health initiatives. At Gates' direction, foundation staff examined the legal structure and tax implications of the proposed fund.
Those discussions culminated in a breakfast meeting at Epstein's Manhattan residence in December 2014 attended by Gates, foundation staff and prospective donors. The review said Gates later concluded that Epstein had "misrepresented" the donors' willingness to participate, after which the foundation abandoned the proposal.
The review also found that Epstein facilitated an introduction between Gates and Terje Rod-Larsen, then president of the International Peace Institute, in 2012. The following year, the Gates Foundation entered into a grant agreement with the International Peace Institute related to polio eradication. Rod-Larsen resigned from the organisation in 2020 over his ties to Epstein.
Throughout the period covered by the review, Gates was aware of Epstein's prior sex offence conviction and was informed by foundation employees of concerns about the reputational risks associated with continuing to work with him on the charitable investment fund, according to the findings.
Following the review, Gates Foundation CEO Mark Suzman said the board had approved measures to strengthen the organisation's vetting procedures and risk management practices.
"The work we do depends on integrity and earning and maintaining the trust of partners," Suzman said in a press release. The foundation declined to provide further comment.
WilmerHale said its five-month review did not include access to Gates' personal communications and did not examine Epstein's interactions with Gates in his personal capacity.
