'I regret it': Bill Gates says knowing, spending time with Jeffrey Epstein was a 'mistake'

Bill Gates, the Microsoft co-founder who Epstein claimed was involved in extramarital affairs, has acknowledged that his name appears among the three million page-tranche recently released from the Jeffrey Epstein files.

Gates has publicly expressed deep remorse about his interactions with Epstein. In an interview, he said he regrets ever having known him and described the time spent with Epstein as a serious mistake. "Every minute I spent with him, I regret, and I apologise that I did that," he told Australia's 9news.

"I was foolish to spend time with him. I was one of many people who regret ever knowing him, Gates said further.

Gates confirmed that, in 2011, he met Epstein and said they had several dinners together over the course of three years. However, he denied ever visiting Epstein’s island and the claims that he had relationships with women linked to Epstein. Gates again denied the "false" accusations while speaking to the media outlet.

Gates and Melinda French Gates were married from 1994 to 2021. Melinda has said that Gates' extramarital affairs and his association with Epstein were factors in their divorce.

Who was Jeffrey Epstein?

Jeffrey Epstein was a man with friends in high places, including politicians and wealthy business executives. Some of the notable names he reportedly knew include President Donald Trump, former President Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, Elon Musk, Sergey Brin, Reid Hoffman, Thiel and many others.

He was also a pedophile, who died by suicide in prison in 2019, at age 66, while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges.