Bill Gates’ friendship with Jeffrey Epstein ‘played role in divorce’

Melinda Gates has revealed how ex-husband Bill Gates’ relationship with the “abhorrent” Jeffrey Epstein led to difficulties in their marriage.

Melinda Gates has revealed that her ex-husband Bill’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein played a role in the couple’s divorce.

However, Gates made clear in a wide-ranging interview on US TV on Thursday local time that it was “not one thing but many things” that forced her to end her 27-year marriage to the Microsoft founder.

“I did not like that he had meetings with Jeffrey Epstein, no. I made that clear to him,” Gates said, adding that she met paedophile Epstein “exactly one time” because she “wanted to see who this man was”.

The couple were married for 27 years. Picture: Getty Images

“I regretted it the second I walked in the door,” she said. “He was abhorrent. He was evil personified. My heart breaks for these women.”

In a statement, Bill Gates called his working relationship with Epstein, who died by suicide in jail in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges, a “mistake”.

After 27 years, Melinda French Gates and Bill Gates ended their marriage — but they still work together running their foundation.

She says she’s worked through the grieving process and is now looking forward to the future: “I’m turning a page in the chapter now.” pic.twitter.com/MdvZ034TOW

— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) March 3, 2022

“Meeting with Epstein was a mistake that I regret deeply,” said the billionaire tech tycoon. “It was a substantial error in judgment.”

Mrs Gates also addressed the Microsoft co-founder’s alleged affair with an employee, saying she had believed they had gotten past it prior to their divorce, reports the New York Post.

“I certainly believe in forgiveness, so I thought we had worked through some of that,” she said.

“It wasn’t one moment or one specific thing that happened. There just came a point in time where there was enough there where I realised it just wasn’t healthy, and I couldn’t trust what we had.”

Bill Gates had a working relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. Picture: AFP

Jeffrey Epstein sexually abused underage girls. Picture: AFP

When asked whether her ex-husband had multiple affairs in the marriage, Mrs Gates simply responded, “Those are questions Bill needs to answer.”

The couple announced their split last May and finalised their divorce last August. The philanthropist said she “never thought” she’d end up getting divorced, but ultimately too many issues plagued the union.

“Unfortunately, I felt like I needed to take a different path,” she said. “We knew that when the divorce was going to be a surprise people, and I felt bad about that.”

Bill and Melinda Gates during their 1994 wedding. Picture: Facebook

She continued, “I don’t question myself now. Not at all. I gave every single piece of myself to this marriage. I was committed to this marriage from the day we got engaged and until the day I got out of it.”

The philanthropist said she and her ex-husband remain “friendly” but certainly aren’t “friends.”

“There’s still healing that needs to happen,” she said. “I certainly wish him well. I don’t wish him harm. I think we have a productive working relationship, and I think that will continue.”

As for her personal life, she said she’s started to date.

“I’m dipping that toe in the water a little bit,” she said. “It’s interesting at this point.”

– with the New York Post

Originally published as Bill Gates’ friendship with Jeffrey Epstein ‘played role in divorce’