Warren Buffett cuts ties with friend Bill Gates over Epstein files as he issues scathing statement
Warren Buffett said he hasn't spoken with Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates since the Epstein files, in which he was mentioned, were released.
Gates, who has not been accused of any wrongdoing by Jeffrey Epstein's victims, had said of his association with the disgraced financier: "You know, in retrospect that was a dead end and I was foolish to spend time with him. I was one of many people who regret ever knowing him."
Allegations in the files, including emails drafted by Epstein, had claimed that Gates contracted an STD from a sexual encounter as a consequence of 'sex with Russian girls'.
A spokesperson for the tech mogul described the claims as 'absolutely absurd and completely false', saying they'd come from a 'proven disgruntled liar'.
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Prolific investor Buffett, 95, had been friends with Gates for many years and donated over $43 billion to his charitable foundation.
However, when speaking to CNBC, he revealed they'd not been in contact since the Epstein files were released.
"I haven’t talked to him at all since the whole thing was unveiled," Buffett said.
"I don’t want to be in a position where I know things... to be called as a witness."
He told the outlet that he'd had a good personal relationship with Bill and Melinda Gates over the years, but that 'it doesn’t make sense to do a lot of talking' until the situation 'gets cleared up'.
Buffett said that Epstein had been a 'con man' who worked out the 'weaknesses' of the men he brought into his circle.
He continued: "Men are going to like sex... and some of them are going to like not paying taxes, and he figured out their weaknesses.
"That guy must have been the con man of all time. He had a way of conning everybody."
The investor also said he was glad Gates never invited him to New York to meet Epstein, saying 'I got him to thank for not doing that' but also that 'you can’t get away from what happened either'.
Gates, who had been friends with Epstein, accepted an invitation from the House Oversight Committee to testify about his connections with Epstein and a spokesperson said the Microsoft co-founder 'welcomes the opportunity to appear before the Committee'.
"While he never witnessed or participated in any of Epstein’s illegal conduct, he is looking forward to answering all the committee’s questions to support their important work," they said on his behalf.
Celebrities pictured in the Epstein files
Bill Clinton
Pictures of the former US president were featured in the file drop, with the 79-year-old photographed sitting in a hot tub with an unidentified woman and swimming in a pool alongside Maxwell, with no further context provided.
Clinton has always denied any knowledge of Epstein's crimes and hasn't been accused of any wrongdoing.
After the pictures were released, Clinton's spokesperson addressed them in a statement, saying the photos were '20-plus-year-old' and he had ended his friendship with Epstein before his crimes came to light.
During his recent deposition before the House Oversight Committee, he was asked about the hot tub photo, to which he responded that he didn't know when it was taken or who the woman in the picture was.
In his opening statement before his testimony, the politician said he 'had no idea of the crimes Epstein was committing', adding: "No matter how many photos you show me, I have to things that at the end of the day matter more than your interpretation of those 20-year-old photos."
Stephen Hawking
A photo of the famed scientist was featured in the files, with one showing him sitting between two bikini-clad women, whose identities were redacted by the DOJ. Hawking was also mentioned in the files at least 250 times, though he hasn't been accused of any crime.
On 25 February, Hawking's family came forward and revealed that the photo had been taken in 2006, when he was staying at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in St Thomas while attending the Energy of Empty Space That Isn’t Zero, an event funded by Epstein, alongside 21 other scientists, and the women in the picture were his 'long term carers'.
Other pictures showed Hawking at dinner on Little Saint James, Epstein's island, and on a submarine tour.
A representative for the Hawking's family continued: "Any insinuation of inappropriate conduct on his part is wrong and far-fetched in the extreme."
Lord Peter Mandleson
The UK ambassador to the United States was pictured in the files, including one of him talking to an unidentified woman while in his underwear. While this photo was undated, Sky News claimed they'd confirmed the location was in Epstein's Paris flat.
A spokesperson for Mandelson had previously told the publication: "No one can say who or where the photo was taken. Lord Mandelson has absolutely no idea or indeed whether it has any connection to Epstein at all."
Documents in the files also alleged that Epstein had made three separate payments totalling $75,000 (£55,000) in 2003 and 2004 to Mandelson, accusations which he believed 'to be false' and 'of which I have no record or recollection'.
Days after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's arrest, Mandelson was also arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office and later released on bail pending further investigation.
According to Attorney General Pam Bondi, 300 celebrities were mentioned in the files, though it was noted that the names appeared in a 'wide variety of contexts'.
Topics: Bill Gates, Jeffrey Epstein, US News
Joe Harker