American billionaire and Microsoft founder Bill Gates said that he "takes responsibility for his actions" because of his relationship with the late businessman and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the Gates Foundation announced on Tuesday, in comments that came in response to a Wall Street Journal report on this issue.

Published on: 02/25/2026 - 08:50

Bill Gates decided to take "responsibility for his actions" regarding his relationship with late businessman and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, during a public meeting with foundation employees, a spokesman for the Gates Foundation said in a written statement Tuesday.

These comments came in response to a Wall Street Journal report that stated that the American billionaire apologized to employees during the public meeting for his relationship with Epstein.

Documents issued by the US Department of Justice indicated that Gates and Epstein met repeatedly after the end of the latter's prison term to discuss expanding the scope of the Microsoft founder's charitable efforts.

The newspaper's report stated that Gates admitted to employees that it was a grave mistake to spend time with Epstein and bring foundation officials to meetings with him. The report was based on a recording of Gates' comments at the public meeting.

He said, according to the newspaper: “I apologize to the other people who were involved in this matter because of the mistake I made.”

The newspaper also pointed out that Gates also admitted that he had romantic relationships with two Russian women whom Epstein later knew, but they were not among his victims. The Justice Department documents also included photos of the Microsoft founder standing with women whose faces were obscured.

Gates previously said that his relationship with Epstein was limited to discussions related to charitable work, and that it was a mistake to meet him. The newspaper reported that he told the foundation's employees that Epstein was the one who asked him to take these photos with the female assistants of the convicted sex offender after their meetings. “To be clear, I did not spend any time with the victims, the women around him,” Gates added, according to the report.

The Gates Foundation, which Bill chairs and established with his ex-wife in 2000, is one of the largest funders of global health initiatives in the world.

France 24/Reuters

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