Bill Gates maintained a friendly relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, but his former wife, Melinda French Gates, prohibited further contact between the two, according to newly disclosed text messages. The communications — part of Gates’s exchanges with Epstein — were included in the latest batch of Epstein-related documents released this month, according to materials reviewed by RadarOnline.com.
“He wants to talk to you, but his wife won’t let him,” Gates’ adviser told Epstein, per the outlet.
The adviser later sent additional text messages, stating that Epstein “loves you,” “says hi,” and “feels bad” about having to step away from their business proposals, according to the records.
“He thought great idea, but his wife wouldn’t allow it,” the adviser wrote.
The Gates’ finalized their divorce in August 2021 after 27 years of marriage. She has said that his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender, was a significant factor in her decision to end the marriage.
Speaking at the time, Melinda said: “I did not like that he had meetings with Jeffrey Epstein. I made that clear to him,” adding that she met the sex offender “exactly one time.”
Releasing a statement in 2022, Gates wrote, “Meeting with Epstein was a mistake that I regret deeply. It was a substantial error in judgment.
“I remain dedicated to my work at the Gates Foundation in partnership with Melinda, where our focus is to help reduce global inequities, giving every person the chance to live a healthy and productive life.”
The newly released messages between Gates’s adviser and Jeffrey Epstein were exchanged while they were discussing an upcoming annual banquet in Washington, D.C., RadarOnline.com reported.
Epstein had been seeking to interest Gates in a donor-advised fund, a tax-deductible charitable vehicle that Epstein hoped to manage. According to the messages, Gates had initially expressed interest, but his wife advised against moving forward.
After the adviser relayed this to Epstein—while noting that Gates “loves” him—Epstein attempted to persuade Gates to reconsider. He added that former Obama White House counsel Kathryn Ruemmler “would love to sit with Melinda and give her the other side of Jeffrey,” according to the texts.
RadarOnline.com reported that Epstein allegedly threatened to disclose an affair Bill Gates was said to have had with Russian bridge player Mila Antonova in 2017 after Gates declined to participate in Epstein’s proposed multibillion-dollar charitable fund.
In her memoir released in April, Melinda Gates discussed her former husband’s relationship with Epstein, as well as reports that Gates had been unfaithful during their marriage.
She wrote: “Bill has publicly acknowledged that he wasn’t always faithful to me,” adding, “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.”
President Donald Trump on Wednesday, meanwhile, signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act into law, requiring the Department of Justice to release all unclassified records related to the late financier and convicted sex offender.
The bipartisan bill cleared Congress this week with overwhelming support, passing the House by a 421–1 vote and the Senate by unanimous consent.
It directs the Justice Department to post unclassified Epstein-related files online in a searchable format. The release is expected to include investigative materials, communications, and other records tied to Epstein and his longtime associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, while redacting any information that identifies victims or could interfere with ongoing investigations.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said the department would meet the deadline. “The department will release the files online in a searchable format within the required 30-day period,” Bondi told reporters after the signing.
