Bill Gates flounders as he is grilled on past dinners with pedophile Jeffrey ...

Bill Gates flounders as he is grilled on past dinners with pedophile Jeffrey ...
Bill Gates flounders as he is grilled on past dinners with pedophile Jeffrey ...

Bill Gates has floundered while being grilled on his past dinners with Jeffrey Epstein, awkwardly trying to draw a line under the concerns raised by the interviewer by saying, 'Well, he's dead.'

The Microsoft founder, 65, first met Epstein at his Manhattan townhouse in 2011 after the financier had been convicted of soliciting sex from a minor in 2008.

His continued meetings with Epstein, until at least 2013, are reported to have remained 'a sore spot' for Melinda which factored into their divorce which was announced this year after 27 years of marriage.

PBS presenter Judy Woodruff asked: 'You had a number of meetings with Jeffrey Epstein, who - when you met him 10 years ago - was convicted of soliciting prostitution from minors. What did you know about him when you were meeting with him, as you've said yourself, in the hopes of raising money?'

Gates immediately started stammering and fidgeting with his ring finger as he replied: 'Uh, you know, I had dinners with him. Uh, I regret doing that. He had relationships he said with people he said would give to public health. Not nearly enough philanthropy goes in that direction.'

Woodruff asked Gates whether there was a 'lesson' for him in the Epstein controversy. He replied: 'Well, he's dead, so... you know, in general, you always have to be careful.'

Woodruff asked Gates whether there was a 'lesson' for him in the Epstein controversy. He replied: 'Well, he's dead, so... you know, in general, you always have to be careful.'

Gates at Epstein's Manhattan mansion in 2011

Gates at Epstein's Manhattan mansion in 2011 

'Those meetings were a mistake,' he added. 'They didn't result in what he purported, and I cut them off. You know, that goes back a long time ago now. There's - so there's nothing new on that.'

But Woodruff noted that he continued to meet with Epstein over several years in personal and business settings. 

Melinda was reported to have been 'furious' at Bill's relationship with Epstein after the couple visited the predator's Upper East Side townhouse in September 2013. 

Epstein meanwhile provided advice to Gates on how he might end his 'toxic' marriage, sources told The Daily Beast earlier this year. 

Woodruff asked what Gates did when he found out about Epstein's background.

He shrugged and said: 'Well you know, I said I regretted having those dinners, and there's nothing, absolutely nothing new on that.'

The interviewer followed up by asking: 'Is there a lesson for you, for anyone else, looking at this?'

Gates threw his hands up in the air and responded: 'Well, he's dead, so... you know, in general, you always have to be careful.'

He quickly changed topic to his charity, saying: 'And you know, the, you know, I'm - I'm very proud of what we've done in philanthropy and very proud of the work of the foundation. You know, that's—that's what I get up every day and focus on.' 

Woodruff also asked Gates about what was going to happen to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation since the couple announced their divorce.

He said that 'the priorities that Melinda and I believe in, global health and education, that will still be where our work is done.'

He added that some additional advisers were going to be brought in at board level and said that the foundation would continue its work in helping governments deal with the pandemic. 

Bill and Melinda Gates couple are pictured with their three kids in a 2018 family photo. The kids - Jennifer (center), Rory (right) and Phoebe (left) are now aged 25, 21 and 18. Bill and Melinda announced their split in May after 27 years of marriage

Bill and Melinda Gates couple are pictured with their three kids in a 2018 family photo. The kids - Jennifer (center), Rory (right) and Phoebe (left) are now aged 25, 21 and 18. Bill and Melinda

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