Regret meeting Epstein: Bill Gates opens up about allegations against him

New Delhi,UPDATED: Feb 5, 2026 00:01 IST

Bill Gates has broken his silence over allegations linked to the Epstein Files, firmly denying claims that he contracted a sexually transmitted disease following encounters with Russian women. The allegations surfaced in recently released documents that include emails allegedly written by Jeffrey Epstein, in which specific accusations were made about Gates's personal conduct and health. The documents emerged a few days ago.

In an interview with Nine News, Gates dismissed the contents of the emails, stating that the messages were fabricated and had never been sent. He emphasised that the claims were not true and expressed regret over his association with Epstein. "Jeffrey wrote an email to himself, which was never sent. The email is, you know, false. So I don’t know what his thinking was there. It just reminds me, you know, every minute I spent with regret, and I, you know, apologise that I did that," Gates said.

The emails referenced in the files claimed that Epstein had written an account stating Gates contracted an STD after relations with "Russian girls" and had asked for antibiotics, allegedly to be given to his then-wife, Melinda, without her knowledge. The content of the emails was not corroborated by other sources, and Gates explicitly denied the events described.

Melinda French Gates, Gates's former wife, responded to the release of the emails and called their contents "beyond heartbreaking". She also noted that upon reading about the alleged victims, she thought of her own daughters at similar ages, highlighting the emotional impact of the disclosures.

During the interview, Gates further clarified his past involvement with Epstein, stating, "I regret every minute I spent with him. It’s factually true that I was only at dinners. You know, I never went to the island. I never met any women." He reaffirmed that while his time with Epstein was a mistake, it was not related to the type of behaviour described in the documents.

Gates also added, "The more that comes out, the more clear it will be that although the time was a mistake, it had nothing to do with that kind of behaviour." He insisted that the allegations held no factual basis and reiterated his denial of any improper conduct.

The newly released files included two emails from July 18, 2013, both from Epstein's account. One message was reportedly styled as a resignation letter from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and referenced having to secure medicine for Gates "in order to deal with the consequences of sex with Russian girls."

No additional evidence has been provided to support the contents of these emails, and Gates has consistently rejected all claims made within them, maintaining his stance against the nature of the allegations.

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