Melinda French Gates, Bill Gates’ ex-wife, has publicly expressed her serious concern over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein following recent revelations.
Her harsh statements reveal a schism that contributed to their 2021 divorce. The statements, which appeared in a book extract released by Page Six, reflect Gates’ long-standing distaste of her former husband’s involvement with the disgraced financier.
In her book, Gates wrote of her 2019 troubles: “That October, things had reached a fever pitch when The New York Times published a deeply disturbing article that raised serious questions about Bill’s conduct – questions that suggested he had betrayed not only our marriage but also my values.”
The revelation is not entirely new, as Melinda Gates has previously criticized her ex-husband’s connections to Epstein.
However, her usage of “betrayed” and “disturbing” indicates a significant shift in her vocabulary.
According to The New York Times, despite Epstein’s sex crime conviction, Bill Gates met with him several times beginning in 2011, including at his New York townhouse. Melinda’s unease increased as she learned about these interactions.
According to the New York Post, the pair formalized their divorce in August 2021 after 27 years of marriage, following an announcement in May 2021.
Gate’s memoir, “The Next Day,” debuted on Tuesday and aims to offer guidance for individuals navigating periods of significant change or upheaval.
According to Page Six, Bill Gates described his encounters with Epstein as “foolish,” stating they were about philanthropy. He has denied having a deeper relationship, although Melinda’s statements strongly suggest otherwise.
The depth of the Gates-Epstein connection has long been unknown.
But Melinda Gates’ harsh phrasing raises concerns about what she may have discovered throughout their marriage.
Epstein, who committed suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking allegations, had a formidable network of connections.
Gates’ connection to him has long been a source of dispute.
And it appears that even his daughter was aware of the unclear link.
Gates said on CNN: “She knew what had happened. She had enough information about what happened, that she understood I needed to move along.”
According to sources who spoke to The Wall Street Journal, Epstein appeared to threaten Bill Gates after discovering that the co-founder of Microsoft had an affair with a Russian bridge player while he was married to Melinda Gates.
Around 2010, the Microsoft co-founder encountered the woman when she was in her 20s. Subsequently, Epstein crossed paths with her in 2013 and went on to pay for her attendance at a software coding school.
People familiar with the matter reported that Epstein emailed Gates in 2017, requesting reimbursement for the expenses incurred during the course.
Following unsuccessful attempts by the convicted sex offender to convince Gates to join a multibillion-dollar charitable fund alongside JPMorgan Chase, the email in question was sent, the Journal noted. People who have seen it suggest that its underlying implication was that Epstein might disclose their relationship if Gates did not maintain a connection between the two of them.
“Mr. Gates met with Epstein solely for philanthropic purposes. Having failed repeatedly to draw Mr. Gates beyond these matters, Epstein tried unsuccessfully to leverage a past relationship to threaten Mr. Gates,” said a spokeswoman for the onetime Microsoft boss.
Last month, FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino vowed to reveal additional footage from the cell housing Epstein around the time of his suicide, proving “no one was there but him.”
Epstein’s 2019 death in the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City was deemed a suicide, but there are widespread conspiracy theories that he was murdered because of his connections with high-profile celebrities and businesspeople.
Bongino’s remarks come after he and FBI Director Kash Patel faced criticism from the MAGA crowd for dismissing Epstein conspiracy claims during a joint interview on Fox News earlier this month.
Bongino was asked about the Epstein case during an interview with Fox & Friends.
What began as a careful statement saying that the investigation is never fully “closed” and that he was open to tips, he teased the release of film that would provide a “clear as day” conclusion on the subject.
