This week, an external investigation revealed some misconduct involving the Gates Foundation and its connection to the late Jeffrey Epstein, but notably, it did not examine any of Bill Gates’ personal emails, as clarified in a footnote of the report’s summary.
The law firm WilmerHale, which was brought in by the Gates Foundation, could not access Gates’ personal communications or the activities of Gates Ventures, a private firm where two employees reportedly had close ties to Epstein.
A three-page summary of the WilmerHale report released on Tuesday reported that Gates and foundation staff met with Epstein roughly 30 times from 2011 to 2014, despite internal warnings about potential reputational harm.
The meetings included visits to Epstein’s Manhattan townhouse and a gathering on the Gates Foundation campus, primarily discussing a public health fund that was never established and grants to the International Peace Institute, an organization linked to Epstein’s associates at the time, according to the findings.
WilmerHale stated there was “no evidence” that the Gates Foundation paid Epstein or engaged in any illegal activity, nor did they have knowledge of Epstein’s sex trafficking crimes after interviewing over 50 current and former employees, including Gates.
The investigation was initiated after Gates and some staff members were mentioned in the Justice Department’s records related to Epstein, which include a vast amount of documentation detailing the sex offender’s interactions with various influential figures.
In sworn testimony before Congress last month, Gates disclosed that he had affairs with two Russian women and mentioned that Epstein learned about one of these affairs, attempting to leverage that information to coerce him into rekindling the relationships after they ended.
Gates noted he was introduced to Epstein in 2011, three years after Epstein pleaded guilty to soliciting sex from a minor and four years post a contentious non-prosecution agreement with federal prosecutors. He stated that they ceased their relationship by December 2014.
While Gates has not faced any charges, he referred to his decisions to meet with Epstein as a “serious error in judgment” and expressed regret over his connection to the notorious figure.
Gates commented that completing this review is vital for providing clarity to partners, employees, and grant recipients, noting that the foundation released the summary after a five-month investigation, although it remains unclear if the full report will be publicly available.
The board pledged to improve governance and internal procedures following this review, but the Gates Foundation, one of the world’s largest philanthropic organizations, is already feeling the impact of diminished support, as Warren Buffett recently ceased his donations to the foundation.
It’s notable that Buffett, who is 95 years old, announced a $6 billion donation this year—excluding the Gates Foundation, marking the end of a 20-year partnership with Gates.
Buffett, who has known Gates for about 35 years, mentioned to CNBC that he found Gates’ relationship with Epstein “uncomfortable” but added that everyone makes mistakes, noting he had met with Gates recently.
The Gates Foundation, co-founded by Gates and his ex-wife Melinda French Gates, has historically been the largest beneficiary of Buffett’s annual charitable contributions, having received over $47 billion in Berkshire stock since 2006.
