Bill Gates on Relationship with Jeffrey Epstein: 'I Made a Mistake' The billionaire sat down with Anderson Cooper to talk about his "dinners" with the financier.
By Emily Rella
An Anderson Cooper interview with Bill Gates is making its rounds after the topic of Gates having dinner with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein came up in conversation.
The interview began with Cooper giving Gates the opportunity to speak about his divorce, which was finalized on Monday, from former wife Melinda French — something Gates admitted was a "very sad milestone" for their relationship.
"That partnership coming to an end is a source of great personal sadness," he admitted.
The billionaire shared that he and French will continue to work together on the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, giving it a two-year trial period to ensure that they can continue to work together amicably.
Related: Bill Gates and Melinda French officially divorce
"Melinda has incredible strengths that she brings that help the foundation be better," Gates told Cooper in conversation.
Bill Gates explains his past relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, saying they shared "several dinners" in which he hoped to raise "billions of philanthropy."
— Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) August 5, 2021
"When it looked like that wasn't a real thing, that relationship ended… it was a huge mistake to spend time with him." pic.twitter.com/ljBMYD94Ei
The conversation then shifted to commentary on reports that Gates began having dinners with Jeffrey Epstein in 2011, after Epstein had already been convicted of soliciting prostitution from a minor.
The reports also claimed that French hired divorce attorneys when Gates and Epstein's relationship was made public around two years ago.
Related: Bill Gates Says Lazy People Make the Best Employees
"I had several dinners with [Epstein] hoping that what he said about getting billions of [dollars of] philanthropy for global health through contacts that he had might emerge, and when it looked like that wasn't a real thing, that relationship ended," Gates explained. "But it was a huge mistake to spend time with him, to give him the credibility of being there. There were lots of others in that same situation, but I made a mistake."
Cooper also acknowledged reports of Gates' creating an "uncomfortable" work environment at Microsoft and addressed his affair with a former employee.
"At this point I need to go forward," Gates said. "My work is very important to me; within the family we'll heal as best we can and learn from what's happened."
Gates' net worth was $131.8 billion as of August 5, according to Forbes.
Related: Bill Gates admits to 'ruining' his marriage: report
