Melinda French Gates, the well-known philanthropist and co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, recently spoke out about the emotional impact of new references to her ex-husband, Bill Gates, in the latest batch of files related to Jeffrey Epstein. These documents, released by the U.S. Department of Justice in late January 2026, include millions of pages of materials such as emails, photos, and other records connected to the convicted sex offender who died in prison in 2019.
In a preview clip from her interview on NPR’s Wild Card podcast with host Rachel Martin (the full episode was set to release on February 5, 2026), Melinda French Gates described feeling “unbelievable sadness” upon seeing the new details. She explained that the references stirred up difficult personal memories from her marriage to Bill Gates, which ended in divorce in 2021 after 27 years together.
“For me, it’s personally hard whenever those details come up, right? Because it brings back memories of some very, very painful times in my marriage,” she said during the interview.
She added that she has since moved on from those difficult periods, stating, “But I have moved on from that. I am so happy to be away from all the muck.” French Gates emphasized that any remaining questions about the Epstein connections belong to those directly involved, including her ex-husband. “Whatever questions remain there of what — I can’t even begin to know all of it — those questions are for those people and for even my ex-husband. They need to answer to those things, not me,” she noted.
French Gates also expressed deep sympathy for Epstein’s alleged victims, focusing on the broader issue of exploitation. “I think we’re having a reckoning as a society, right? No girl should ever be put in the situation that they were put in by Epstein and whatever was going on with all of the various people around him,” she said. “At least for me, I’ve been able to move on in life, and I hope there’s some justice for those now-women.”
The newly released files mention Bill Gates in several emails drafted by Epstein in July 2013. These include one written as if from someone resigning from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, claiming involvement in procuring medicine “to deal with consequences of sex with Russian girls” and facilitating “illicit trysts” with married women. Another email, addressed “dear Bill,” expresses frustration over the end of their friendship and alleges that Gates asked Epstein to delete messages about a sexually transmitted infection (STI) and to provide antibiotics “that you can surreptitiously give to Melinda.” It also references a description of Gates’s penis in the context of the alleged STI cover-up.
It remains unclear whether these emails were ever actually sent to Gates, as they were drafted from Epstein’s account and sent back to himself, unsigned, with no visible recipient account linked to Gates.
Bill Gates has strongly denied the allegations. In a statement from his representative following the files’ release, it was said: “These claims — from a proven, disgruntled liar — are absolutely absurd and completely false. The only thing these documents demonstrate is Epstein’s frustration that he did not have an ongoing relationship with Gates and the lengths he would go to entrap and defame.”
The statement further noted: “Mr. Gates unequivocally denies any improper conduct related to Epstein and the horrible activities in which Epstein was involved.” It added that Gates “never visited Epstein’s island, never attended parties with him, and had no involvement in any illegal activities associated with Epstein.” Gates acknowledged that meeting Epstein was a “serious error in judgment.”
In a separate interview with Australia’s 9News around the same time, Gates addressed the claims directly, calling the email contents “false” and noting it was never sent. “Every minute I spent with him I regret and I apologise that I did that,” he said. He described his interactions with Epstein as limited to dinners aimed at discussing philanthropy, which he now views as a mistake. “In retrospect, that was a dead end,” Gates added. “I was foolish to spend time with him.”
The Gates-Epstein connection dates back to around 2011, after Epstein’s 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor. Reports indicate they met several times, primarily to discuss potential funding for Gates’s foundation work, though no such collaboration materialized. Melinda French Gates has previously expressed discomfort with the association, which reportedly played a role in her decision to pursue divorce. In a 2021 CNN interview, Bill Gates called spending time with Epstein a “huge mistake.”
Importantly, Bill Gates has not been accused of any wrongdoing by Epstein’s victims, and his name appearing in the files does not indicate criminal activity. The documents highlight Epstein’s broad network of contacts among powerful figures, many of whom continued associations even after his conviction.
These latest revelations have renewed public attention on the long-lasting effects of Epstein’s actions and relationships, even years after his death. For Melinda French Gates, the focus remains on healing from her personal past while advocating for justice for survivors.
