Bill Gates has broken his silence after appearing in the recently released batch of Epstein files.
In one document released by the US Justice Department last week, Jeffrey Epstein wrote a memo in which he alleged that the Microsoft co-founder had asked for antibiotics to 'surreptitiously give' to his wife at the time, Melinda French Gates.
In an email dated 18 July, 2013, Epstein wrote: "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."
In a separate email, he added: "From helping Bill to get drugs, in order to deal with consequences of sex with Russian girls, to facilitating his illicit trysts, with married women, to being asked to provide Adderall fro [sic] bridge tournamnts [sic]."
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The Microsoft founder has now given his 'only Australian TV interview' during a trip to the Australian Open, explaining he regrets 'ever knowing' the convicted sex offender. He told Nine: "The focus was always, he knew a lot of very rich people and he was saying he could get them to give money to global health.
"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.
"Apparently, Jeffrey wrote an email to himself. That email was never sent. The email is, you know, false.
"I don't know what his thinking was there. Every minute I spent with him, I regret and I apologise that I did that.
"I was only at dinners... I never went to the island, I never met any women, and so, you know, the more that comes out, the more clear it'll be, that although the time was a mistake, it had nothing to do with that kind of behaviour."
A spokesperson for Gates has categorically denied the claims, telling LADbible Group in a statement: "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."
French Gates has also responded to the comments, telling NPR’s Wild Card podcast: "It’s personally hard whenever those details come up, right? Because it brings back memories of some very, very painful times in my marriage.
"I have moved on from that. I purposely pushed it away and I moved on.
"Whatever questions remain there… are for those people and for my ex-husband, they need to answer to those things, not me.
"I am so happy to be away from all the muck that was there."
French Gates also spoke about Epstein's accusers, adding: "I’m able to take my own sadness and look at those young girls and say, 'My God, how did that happen to those girls?'
"I had to leave my marriage. I wanted to leave my marriage. At least for me, I’ve been able to move on in life. And I hope there’s some justice for those now women."
Topics: News, US News, Jeffrey Epstein, Celebrity
Lucy Devine