The Gates Foundation commissioned law firm WilmerHale in March to conduct an external review in response to the release of millions of Epstein-related documents by the U.S. Department of Justice. The results of the review, released recently, show that between 2011 and 2014, foundation leaders and employees met with Epstein about 30 times, including Bill Gates himself. The review is based on interviews with more than 50 current and former foundation personnel, including Gates, and a review of numerous related written materials.
The summary of the report states that the review found no evidence that the foundation was involved in or aware of Epstein's sex trafficking activities or criminal conduct, nor that the foundation knew at the time that Epstein was using the foundation's name to further his activities. Meanwhile, the review found no evidence that Epstein received compensation from the foundation. The meeting primarily involved discussions about the potential creation of a Donor Advised Fund entity, donor engagement, the Foundation’s polio strategy, and introductions to international peace initiatives.
Bill Gates said in a public statement that he was introduced to Epstein in 2011 through a trusted advisor in the professional and philanthropic fields. The adviser holds concurrent positions at the foundation and Gates' personal office. Gates said Epstein claimed to be able to raise billions of dollars for global health because he provided tax and estate services to donors. Gates acknowledged that he was aware at the time that Epstein had a criminal record but did not fully understand the seriousness of his crimes, including Epstein's 2008 guilty pleas in Florida for solicitation of prostitution and solicitation of prostitution of a minor. Gates said he ended his interaction with Epstein in December 2014 and apologized for the incident at a staff meeting in February.
The review also noted that foundation employees repeatedly warned senior leadership, including Gates, about the risks of being associated with Epstein. One of the meetings took place on the foundation's campus, and several others took place at Epstein's Manhattan residence. Based on interviews and available records, the review did not find that the meetings were unrelated to charity or involved illegal conduct. The report emphasizes that when Gates began talking to Epstein in 2011, he was aware of his reputation problems due to his sex crimes record.
Based on the results of the review, the Gates Foundation board has approved a series of recommendations, including establishing a centralized review process for intermediaries, donor advisors, co-funders, etc., and establishing a project organizational risk escalation process. Gates emphasized in a statement Tuesday that the review is an important step to provide clarity and increase oversight for partners, employees and grantees. The Foundation is committed to ensuring that trust and transparency are not compromised as its work to save lives and create opportunity is more important than ever.