Melinda Gates kicked her ex-husband to the curb over the latest release of the Epstein files that alleged the Microsoft co-founder planned to slip his then-wife an antibiotic to combat a sexually transmitted disease he got from Russian girls.
The 61-year-old philanthropist, who divorced Bill Gates in 2021, said she feels horribly sorry for the Epstein victims, and that the people mentioned, including her ex, have some explaining to do.
During a Tuesday episode of NPR’s Wild Card podcast, Melinda somberly spoke about the girls who were allegedly abused at the hands of the late financier.
‘I think we’re having a reckoning as a society, right? No girl, 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,’ she said, shaking her head in disappointment.
She added: ‘It’s beyond heartbreaking. I remember being those ages those girls were, I remember my daughters being those ages.
‘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,’ Melinda continued.
She then made a sharp pivot, telling podcast host Rachel Martin that she has nothing to do with what has come to light.
‘I purposely pushed it away and I moved on. I’m in a really unexpected, beautiful place in my life. So whatever questions remain there of what, I don’t [and] can’t even begin to know all of it, those questions are for those people and even my ex-husband,’ she stated. ‘They need to answer those questions, not me.’
Melinda Gates responded to the recent allegations brought against her ex-husband Bill Gates as part of the Epstein Files release
After expressing her sadness for the girls who were allegedly abused at the hands of the late financer, Melinda said everyone involved, including her billionaire ex, have questions to answer. (Pictured: Bill Gates alongside Jeffrey Epstein)
Melinda, who shares two daughters and a son with Bill, added: ‘And I am so happy to be away from all the muck.’
When asked specifically about how the recent details about her ex-husband’s alleged affairs made her feel, Melinda said she was overcome with sadness.
‘Sad. Just unbelievable sadness. Unbelievable sadness,’ she told Martin.
Her comments come just days after a trove of new Epstein files were released, including an email that outlined shocking allegations over her former partner’s sexual lifestyle.
The allegations were part of an email that appeared to be a draft of a letter intended to be sent by Gates’ then-top advisor Boris Nikolic, around his resignation from the Microsoft billionaire’s charitable foundation.
The lengthy message lashed out at Gates for ending their friendship and says: ‘TO add insult to the injury you them (sic) implore me to please delete the emails regarding your std, your request that I provide you antibiotics that you can surreptitiously give to Melinda and the description of your penis.’
The emails were among the hundreds of thousands of Epstein files released by the Department of Justice on Friday morning.
Friday’s release also included multiple new undated images of Epstein and Gates together in various locations.
Melinda and Bill were married between 1994 and 2021. She cited Gates’s affairs and friendship with Epstein as reasons for the divorce, but did not divulge further details
Friday’s release also included multiple new undated images of Epstein and Gates together in various locations
Gates has previously said he regrets his friendship with the late pedophile, who died in a New York City jail in 2019, but has long denied any impropriety.
Over the years, Gates has sought to downplay his yearslong relationship with Epstein, claiming the pair did not have a ‘business relationship or friendship’ and alleging all of their meetings were in group settings. He also previously denied attending any of Epstein’s parties or going to his various residences.
Earlier in the same message, Epstein said he had been ‘dismayed beyond comprehension’ by Gates’s decision to ‘disregard our friendship developed over the last 6 years.’
Appearing to write from the point of view of Nikolic, another email on the same morning offered his resignation from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
He wrote: ‘I have been caught up in a severe marital dispute between Melinda and Bill…
‘In my role as his right hand man I have been asked and wrongly acquiesced into participating in things that have ranged from the morally inappropriate, to the ethically unsound and have been repeatedly asked to do thing (sic) that get near and potentially over the line into the illegal…
‘From helping Bill to get drugs, in order to deal with consequences of sex with russian girls, to facilitating his illicit trusts, with married women, to being asked to provide adderall fro (sic) bridge touramnts (sic), as I am a medial (sic) doctor, but have no presriptions (sic) writing ability.’
Following the latest release, the tech billionaire (pictured with an unidentified woman) told the Daily Mail: ‘These claims are absolutely absurd and completely false’
Following the latest release, the tech billionaire told the Daily Mail: ‘These claims are absolutely absurd and completely false.
‘The only thing these documents demonstrate is Epstein’s frustration that he did not have an ongoing relationship with Gates and the lengths he would go to entrap and defame.’
Melinda and Bill were married between 1994 and 2021. She cited Gates’s affairs and friendship with Epstein as reasons for the divorce, but did not divulge further details.
Melinda reportedly hired lawyers to plan her split from Bill in 2019, after reports emerged about his repeated meetings with Epstein contrary to the Microsoft founder’s previous public denials.
She retained counsel after becoming concerned about her husband’s alleged business dealings with the pedophile financier, The Wall Street Journal reported.
