Review Says Gates Foundation Did Not Participate in Epstein Crimes

The full report was not made public. But its top-line findings may help put to rest some of the unease inside the foundation after the release of the Epstein files invoked a fervor in right-wing circles and inside the $90 billion foundation.

Mr. Gates has consistently denied that his ties to Mr. Epstein went beyond seeking a philanthropic partnership, and he has repeatedly described that effort as an error in judgment. The review noted that foundation leaders, including Mr. Gates, had met with Mr. Epstein roughly 30 times between 2011 to 2014 to discuss, among other topics, Mr. Epstein’s idea to set up a donor-advised fund.

The review said that Mr. Gates and other senior foundation staff were made aware of Mr. Epstein’s criminal conviction. “Mr. Gates was aware of reputational concerns related to Epstein’s prior conviction and sentencing for a sex-related offense when he began conversations with him in 2011,” investigators wrote.

Mr. Gates, who is the co-founder of Microsoft, said in a statement Tuesday: “Completing this review is an important step in providing the clarity that partners, employees and grantees deserve.”

The foundation said it would institute a series of governance reforms in the wake of the WilmerHale report, including new vetting processes and greater scrutiny of people who work for Mr. Gates’s personal ventures and the foundation simultaneously.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/21/business/gates-foundation-epstein.html