Jeffrey Epstein met with Bill Gates and and his charity's staff around 30 times, report finds

Jeffrey Epstein met with 10 leaders of The Gates Foundation - including billionaire Bill Gates - around 30 times, according to an external review for the charity.

The review - commissioned by the Gates Foundation in March after the release of the Epstein files last year - was carried out by WilmerHale, the law firm retained to conduct a review of past foundation engagements with the late paedophile financier.

Documents from the files, released by the US Department of Justice, included email exchanges between Mr Gates and Epstein, along with photographs of the Microsoft co-founder at events attended by the financier.

The Microsoft co-founder and chair of the Gates Foundation has not been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein, and has repeatedly denied any knowledge of Epstein's abuse of girls.

During his closed-door interview before the House Oversight Committee in June, Mr Gates said: "I want to state very clearly: I never witnessed nor had any indication that Epstein was engaged in ongoing criminal conduct."

Mr Gates also said in his testimony he made a "grave error in judgement" by meeting with the disgraced financier.

Epstein took his own life in a Manhattan jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on charges he sexually abused and trafficked underage girls.

Gates 'aware' of Epstein conviction in 2011

According to a three-page summary released Tuesday, WilmerHale found no evidence that the foundation made payments to Epstein or was involved in any criminal activity related to him.

It did find that Mr Gates and nine other staff met with Epstein around 30 times between 2011 and 2014 - including visits to the financier's Manhattan townhouse and one visit to the Gates Foundation campus.

"The foundation's meetings with Epstein appear to have focused on [an Epstein-proposed Donor-Advised Fund in 2011], donor engagement, the foundation's polio strategy, and introductions to International Peace Institute," the law firm said.

WilmerHale also found that Mr Gates was "aware of reputational concerns related to Epstein's prior conviction and sentencing for a sex-related offence" when they began talks in 2011.

Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to two charges, including soliciting prostitution from a minor in Florida. He was then a registered sex offender.

Staff raised Epstein concerns 'on multiple occasions'

The law firm added that staff working on the potential Donor-Advised Fund "raised on multiple occasions the risks of associating with Epstein because of his prior conviction, and those concerns were raised to senior leadership", including Mr Gates.

Gates Foundation chief executive Mark Suzman said that the board of the charity approved all of WilmerHale's recommendations in the report.

Mr Gates said in a statement that the review "is an important step in providing the clarity that partners, employees, and grantees deserve".

It is unclear whether the full report will be released. WilmerHale noted that its review did not include access to Mr Gates' personal communications or encompass Epstein's interactions with him in a personal capacity.

(c) Sky News 2026: Jeffrey Epstein met with Bill Gates and and his charity's staff around 30 times, report finds