Melinda French Gates has spoken for the first time since her ex-husband, Bill Gates, was among the famous names in the latest release of the files relating to notorious paedophile Jeffrey Epstein
Bill Gates’ ex-wife has spoken of “painful times” after he was named in the Epstein files. The Microsoft founder was one of dozens of high-profile names listed in the documents surrounding the convicted paedophile who died in 2019.
In a new interview, Melinda French Gates, who filed for divorce from the billionaire in 2021, said that the details of the most recently released files brought back memories of “painful times” in her marriage. Last week, the American Department of Justice released three million pages from the Estein files.
Mr Gates has not been accused of any wrongdoing by Epstein’s victims. Being named or pictured in the Epstein files does not imply any criminal activity or wrongdoing. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said that in total, there were six million pages, but almost three million were being withheld for reasons including child sexual abuse material.
The emails in the files claim that Bill had extramarital affairs behind Melinda’s back and allegedly attempted to get medication to treat a sexually transmitted infection and planned to give Melinda the medication, without her knowledge.
Responding to the allegations relating to alleged affairs and a sexually transmitted infection, Melinda said she felt “just unbelievable sadness”. She added on the Wild Card, NPR podcast: “Again, I’m able to take my own sadness and look at those young girls and say ‘My God, how did they, how did that happen to those girls?’ right?
“So for me, it’s just sadness, sadness for, you know, I’ve left, I had to, I left my marriage. I had to leave my marriage; I wanted to leave my marriage. It’s just sad.” Now, Melinda says she has been able to move on with her life and hopes that there is justice for the “now women”, adding that what they endured was “unimaginable”.
“I think we’re having a reckoning as a society, right?” Melinda added. She said: “No girl should ever be put in the situation that they were put in by Epstein and whatever was going on with all of the various people around him. No girl, I mean, it’s just beyond heartbreaking, right? I remember being those ages those girls were.
“I remember my daughters being those ages, right? So for me it’s personally hard whenever those details come up, right? Because it brings back memories of some very, very painful times in my marriage. But I have moved on from that. So whatever questions remain there of what I don’t, can’t even begin to know all of it. Those questions are for those people and for even my ex-husband. They need to answer to those things, not me. I am so happy to be away from all the muck that was there.”
In response to the allegations, a spokesperson for Mr Gates said that he had never attended any parties with Epstein and had no involvement in his crimes.
They told the BBC: “While Mr Gates acknowledges that meeting with Epstein was a serious error in judgment, he unequivocally denies any improper conduct related to Epstein and the horrible activities in which Epstein was involved.” Meanwhile, Bill recently told 9News in Australia: “Every minute I spent with him I regret and I apologise that I did that.”
The Mirror has approached Bill Gates’ spokesperson for comment.
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