Melinda French Gates has shared that recent revelations regarding her ex-husband Bill Gates’ connections with Jeffrey Epstein have marked the conclusion of a “very difficult period” during their 27-year marriage. She expressed relief in being “so happy to be away from all the filth that was there.”
The 61-year-old philanthropist, who finalized her divorce from the Microsoft co-founder in 2021, mentioned that the recent documents released, which included serious accusations about her ex-husband, have been hard to process. “It’s tough for me personally whenever those details arise, as they bring back memories of a really challenging time in our marriage,” she shared while speaking on NPR’s podcast “Wild Card.”
“I intentionally pushed it aside and moved on,” she noted.
The newly disclosed files included a 2013 claim from Epstein alleging that Gates, one of the wealthiest individuals globally, asked a colleague for medication to handle a sexually transmitted infection after engaging with a Russian woman.
Epstein further insinuated that Gates might have attempted to administer the antibiotics to his then-wife without her knowing.
A representative for Gates dismissed these unsettling claims as completely unfounded, arguing that Epstein aimed to entrap or slander his high-profile acquaintances.
Nevertheless, French Gates admitted to experiencing “incredible sadness” over the allegations and other disturbing details that surfaced over time. “Any lingering questions… are for those individuals, including my ex-husband, to address, not me,” she stated.
“I’m just grateful to have moved on from all the filth that was there.”
After stepping down from her co-chair position at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation post-divorce, French Gates reflected on the challenges faced by Epstein’s accusers. “I’m left contemplating my own grief while also considering those young girls and thinking, ‘God, why did that happen to them?’”
She further remarked, “I had to leave my marriage. I wanted to leave. I was fortunate enough to find a way to move on, and I hope there’s justice for these women now.”
Bill and Melinda united in marriage in 1994 and launched the Gates Foundation together, which has invested over $100 billion in philanthropic efforts since its inception.
Announcing their divorce in 2021, they mentioned they no longer felt they could “grow together.” French Gates later pointed to Gates’ encounters with Epstein as a pivotal reason for their separation, expressing her distress over the relationship.
Gates has consistently claimed that his association with Epstein was purely philanthropic, and his spokesperson labeled the latest allegations as “completely absurd and completely false.”
“These documents merely reflect Mr. Epstein’s discontent regarding the absence of an ongoing relationship with Mr. Gates and illustrate the lengths to which he went to ensnare and defame him,” the representative concluded.
