Melinda Gates Opens up About Ex-Husband Bill's 'Disturbing' Ties to Jeffrey Epstein
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, SheKnows may receive an affiliate commission.
Melinda French Gates is opening up about ex-husband Bill Gates’ ties to Jeffrey Epstein in her new memoir.
The philanthropist’s book, The Next Day, hit shelves on April 15 and shares new details about the end of her marriage to the Microsoft co-founder, including the impact of his infidelities and connection to Epstein.
Melinda writes that she was already having nightmares amid marital issues in 2019 when she became aware of Bill’s relationship with the infamous convicted sex offender.
“That October, things had reached a fever pitch when The New York Times published a deeply disturbing article that raised serious questions about Bill’s conduct – questions that suggested he had betrayed not only our marriage but also my values,” the 60-year-old writes in the book.
The article Melinda references was published two months after Epstein died by suicide while awaiting trial on sex trafficking and federal conspiracy charges in 2019. According to The New York Times, Bill met with Epstein on “numerous occasions,” citing at least three visits to Epstein’s New York mansion, including one visit that spanned hours.
“His lifestyle is very different and kind of intriguing although it would not work for me,” he emailed colleagues in 2011, after his first encounter with Epstein.
Bill has repeatedly claimed that his dealings with Epstein were tied to his philanthropic work and expressed his remorse over meeting the financier. “In retrospect, I was foolish to spend any time with him,” the Microsoft co-founder told the Wall Street Journal in January.
“I think I was quite stupid. I thought it would help me with global health philanthropy. In fact, it failed to do that. It was just a huge mistake,” he added.
In 2023, the Wall Street Journal reported that Epstein threatened to expose Bill’s alleged affair with Russian bridge player Mila Antonova in 2017 after Bill declined an offer to join his multibillion-dollar charitable fund with JPMorgan Chase.
Back in 2022, Melinda claimed that she had expressed anger to Bill over his connection to Epstein. “I did not like that he had meetings with Jeffrey Epstein, no. I made that clear to him,” she told CBS, claiming she only met Epstein once because she “wanted to see who” he was.
“I regretted it the second I walked in the door,” Melinda admitted. “He was abhorrent. He was evil personified. My heart breaks for these women.”
Melinda and Bill were married from 1994 until 2021 and share three adult children: Jennifer, 28, Rory, 25, and Phoebe, 22.
Before you go, click here for all the celebrity splits and divorces we never saw coming.