Liputan6.com, Jakarta - Melinda Gates returned to the public spotlight after the newly released Jeffrey Epstein documents in late January 2026 revealed the name of her ex-husband, Bill Gates.
During a podcast in Wild Card with Rachel Martin, Melinda's statement revived painful memories of Bill Gates's involvement with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, by explicitly expressed her disapproval of these meetings, even before their divorce.
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Melinda cited Bill Gates's involvement with Jeffrey Epstein as a significant contributing factor to the breakdown of her marriage.
She has expressed this on numerous occasions, including a March 2022 interview and in her upcoming memoir, "The Next Day."
Melinda has even been seeking divorce counseling since 2019, after reports of Bill's relationship with Epstein surfaced.
Recently, Melinda French Gates stated that seeing her ex-husband's name in the newly released Epstein files caused her "tremendous sadness" and brought back "recollections of a very painful time in her marriage."
Melinda insists that she is now in a “beautiful place” in her life, far from the “chaos” of the past.
Melinda Gates Responds to Newly Released Epstein Files
Melinda French Gates stated that seeing her ex-husband's name in the newly released Epstein files brought back "reminiscences of a very painful time in her marriage" and caused her "tremendous sadness."
She suggested that Bill Gates' involvement with Epstein contributed to their separation. Melinda called for Bill Gates and all parties involved to "answer for these things.
"In an interview with NPR, Melinda French Gates emphasized that "no girl should be put in the situation that they were put in by Epstein and whatever happened to the people around him."
She added that "the questions that remain about what I don't—can't even begin to know all—those questions are for those people and even my ex-husband. They need to answer those questions, not me."
Melinda French Gates also stated that she is now in a "beautiful place" in her life and is happy to be "away from all the chaos that was there."
Epstein's Involvement in Bill and Melinda Gates' Divorce
Melinda French Gates acknowledged that Bill Gates' friendship with Jeffrey Epstein contributed to their divorce.
In her upcoming memoir, "The Next Day," Melinda reveals that Bill Gates' relationship with Jeffrey Epstein significantly impacted her marriage.
She cites a New York Times article detailing Bill's encounters with Epstein as a turning point.
Her concerns about her husband's relationship with the convicted sex offender prompted Melinda French Gates to begin contacting a divorce counselor in 2019, after the New York Times report was published.
Bill Gates Clarifies Allegations in Epstein Documents
One of Epstein's newly released draft emails accuses Bill Gates of requesting antibiotics for a sexually transmitted infection that he could "secretly" administer to Melinda.
A spokesperson for Gates responded to the claim by declaring it "completely absurd and completely false."
"These claims – from a proven, disgruntled liar – are absolutely absurd and completely false," a spokesperson for Bill Gates has said about the allegations.
The spokesperson added that the documents only demonstrate Epstein's "frustration that he lacked an ongoing relationship with Gates and the lengths to which he would go to frame and defame him."