Bill Gates has apologised to staff at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation following renewed controversy over his past association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. During an internal town hall, Gates reportedly called his interactions with Epstein a “huge mistake,” took responsibility, and denied any involvement in illegal activity.

What Triggered the Apology?

Fresh scrutiny emerged after newly released records from the United States Department of Justice detailed prior meetings between Gates and Epstein. Media reports highlighted:

Photographs of Gates with Epstein
References to past meetings
Redacted images involving unidentified women

The resurfaced documents reignited public debate about Gates’ past interactions with Epstein.

Gates’ Statement to Staff

At a recent internal town hall, Gates:

Acknowledged meeting Epstein was “a huge mistake”
Apologised to colleagues drawn into the controversy
Said, “I did nothing illicit. I saw nothing illicit.”
Denied spending time with Epstein’s victims

He also reportedly addressed personal matters referenced in the documents, stating that two affairs mentioned were unrelated to Epstein’s criminal activities.

A Foundation spokesperson told Reuters that Gates “took responsibility for his actions” during the meeting.

Foundation Clarification

Earlier this month, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation stated:

It never made financial payments to Epstein
Epstein was never employed by the Foundation

The organisation has attempted to distance its operations from the controversy.

India AI Impact Summit Withdrawal

Amid growing criticism, Gates withdrew from the India AI Impact Summit 2026, where he was scheduled to speak alongside:

Sundar Pichai
Sam Altman
Dario Amodei

The Foundation said the decision was made to ensure focus remained on the summit’s core agenda rather than the controversy.

Key Entities

Bill Gates – Co-founder of Microsoft; philanthropist
Jeffrey Epstein – Convicted offender
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – Global philanthropic body
United States Department of Justice – Released records referenced in reports
Sundar Pichai – CEO of Google
Sam Altman – CEO of OpenAI
Dario Amodei – CEO of Anthropic

Final Verdict

Bill Gates has publicly acknowledged that meeting Jeffrey Epstein was a significant error in judgment, while firmly denying any illegal conduct. Although the Gates Foundation maintains it had no financial or operational ties to Epstein, the renewed attention has affected Gates’ public engagements, including his withdrawal from a major AI summit.

The episode underscores how reputational risks linked to past associations can resurface years later, particularly when new documents emerge. While no legal wrongdoing has been alleged against Gates in the latest disclosures, the controversy continues to shape public perception and institutional response.