Bill Gates, the Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist, has acknowledged that the late financier Jeffrey Epstein sought a personal relationship with him, a disclosure that has intensified scrutiny of Epstein's network of powerful associates. In a statement released to the BBC, Gates said he met Epstein on several occasions for discussions about philanthropy but denied any financial or personal entanglement. The admission comes as the British government faces mounting pressure to launch a comprehensive inquiry into Epstein's activities in the United Kingdom, where he maintained residences and cultivated ties with royalty, politicians, and business leaders.
Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer has called for a judge-led investigation, arguing that the full extent of Epstein's influence in the UK remains shrouded in secrecy. Epstein, who died in a Manhattan federal jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges, had been a fixture of London society for decades. His address book, now in the possession of US federal prosecutors, is believed to contain contacts spanning the British establishment.
A spokesperson for the Home Office said the government is reviewing the request but noted that the FBI is leading the international investigation. Gates's admission adds a fresh dimension to the ongoing fallout from the Epstein scandal, which has already claimed the careers of several high-profile figures including Prince Andrew, who was forced to step back from royal duties. The widening net of inquiry underscores the persistence of the Epstein case as a catalyst for demands for transparency across institutions on both sides of the Atlantic.
