An external review commissioned by the Gates Foundation has revealed that foundation leaders and staff, including Bill Gates, had roughly 30 meetings with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein between 2011 and 2014. These encounters reportedly centered on a public health fund and grant that never materialized.
The review, conducted by an outside law firm, found no evidence of payments made or participation in criminal activities linked to Epstein. Despite these findings, the report noted that foundation staff had raised risks on multiple occasions regarding the association with Epstein because of his prior conviction.
The investigation was limited to the philanthropy and did not investigate Mr. Gates or his private office. The foundation commissioned the review in March following the release of justice department documents that included numerous references to Gates, several photographs of him, and records of his meetings with Epstein.
The report arrives days after Warren Buffett, a longtime friend and major benefactor to Gates, excluded the foundation from his annual donations.