Bill Gates Denies Ever Visiting Jeffrey Epstein's Island

The Microsoft founder recently participated in an 'Ask Me Anything' on Reddit - his tenth on the site - and one of the most prominent questions put to him focused on his interactions with convicted sex offender Epstein.

This was after Epstein's 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor, meaning he was a registered sex offender while Gates was having meetings with him.

Epstein maintained links with many prominent figures and hosted some of them on his own private island, with a number of famous celebrities and prominent politicians among those rumoured to have visited.

While Gates conducted the AMA in his role as co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and author of the book How To Prevent The Next Pandemic, the question of his links with Epstein arose.

One person asked: 'Just what was Epstein's island like? What did you do there?'

Rather than ignore the question as many choose to do with difficult subjects that crop up on an AMA, Gates chose to respond and deny that he had been to any island owned by Epstein.

He wrote: "I never visited any of his islands.

"I did have meetings where Global Health funding was discussed. In retrospect I regret meeting with him."

He said: 'I made a mistake ever meeting with Jeffrey Epstein. You know, maybe her instincts on that were keener than mine.

'Any meeting I had with him could be viewed as almost condoning his evil behaviour. So, that was a mistake.'

Gates has previously said that he stopped meeting with Epstein once he realised there was no possibility of securing funding for his charitable foundations.

Epstein died in his prison cell in 2019 after being arrested on federal charges of sex trafficking minors but before he could face trial.