Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft Corp., allegedly said during an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper on Wednesday that his meeting with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was a "huge mistake."
According to the discussion, Gates revealed he met with Epstein on several occasions to discuss global health philanthropy over dinner. The meetings were conducted in the hopes of raising billions for charity.
Regretting the Meetings
During the "Anderson Cooper 360" program, Gates said that when he realized the meetings with Epstein would not bear fruit to what he hoped, their relationship quickly faded. He noted that it was a "huge mistake" that he spent time with the convicted sex offender and giving him the credibility of being there.
In 2019, a spokeswoman for Gates said he regretted his meeting with Epstein, who was found dead inside his jail cell in August 2019 as he waited for trial on federal charges of sex trafficking. A month after, Gate said during an interview with the Wall Street Journal that he met Epstein but did not have a business relationship or friendship with him, adding he was not aware of any donations from the convicted felon, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Gates' interview with CNN came two days after his divorce with his ex-wife, Melinda French Gates, was completed. It was revealed that Melinda previously expressed her concerns about her ex-husband's dealings with Epstein, with some dating as far back as 2013.
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Epstein was convicted in 2008, three years before he even met Gates, for crimes of soliciting prostitution from a minor. In an article, it the claims of the Microsoft co-founder regretting his meetings with Epstein over an interview was confirmed, Snopes reported.
The New York financier was also accused of having operated a sex trafficking ring by federal prosecutors in July 2019. The complaint alleged that Epstein sexually abused dozens of underage girls; talks have been circulating around the individual for years.
Convicted of Sexual Crimes
Epstein pleaded guilty to two state prostitution charges and was jailed for only 13 months instead of facing federal charges. The FBI also registered the philanthropist as a sex offender and he was forced to pay restitution to the victims the agency disclosed. The New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said that Epstein's cause of death in August 2019 was determined to be suicide by hanging.
Gates also refused to answer whether or not his social connection with Epstein played a factor in his divorce from his ex-wife. During an interview, the Microsoft co-founder said the completion of their divorce was a time of reflection and that he needed to move forward.
In recent years, Gates focused his attention on tackling global health issues through his joint Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The foundation's leader said that the Gates family would discuss whether or not it would be possible to continue their operations despite the divorce. If they decide not to, Gates would have to pay Melinda using his own personal funds, 9News reported.
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