Bill Gates Dodges Jeffrey Epstein’s Questions During ‘Ask Me Anything’ Reddit Chat

Bill Gates held court during an online chat in which he invited Reddit users to “ask me anything” on Wednesday – only to ignore questions about his ties to convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Gates, Microsoft co-founder and billionaire philanthropist, answered questions during a Reddit “AMA” in which he opined on his favorite rock band (U2), the need to fight climate change, taxing the rich, his ownership of U.S. farmland, and what TV shows he liked the most in 2022.

But he didn’t address the thorny issue of his previous relationship with Epstein, a wealthy financier who hanged himself in a Manhattan jail cell while awaiting federal trial on sex trafficking charges in 2019.

“Why did you continue to communicate with Jeffrey Epstein after he was convicted of pedophilia?” a Reddit user under the pseudonym “always shazthelinks” wrote to Gates.

“And against the advice and wishes of your then wife?”

This refers to Epstein’s previous conviction in 2008, when he confessed in a Florida court to forcing a child into prostitution and harassing a prostitute.

The questioner then posted a link to an article with the headline: “Bill Gates’ ex-wife Melinda says his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein is hurting his marriage.”

The Reddit user then asked an additional question: “Why did you channel donations through Epstein and not publicly through your well-known ‘philanthropic’ foundation?

Last March, Melinda French Gates told Gail King on CBS’ This Morning that “not one, but many things” led to the end of her 27-year marriage to Gates. The divorce was finalized in August 2021.

“I didn’t like that he had meetings with Jeffrey Epstein, no,” said Melinda French Gates.

“I made it clear to him.

She told King that she met Epstein “exactly once” because she “wanted to see who the man was.”

“I regretted it as soon as I walked in the door,” Melinda French Gates told CBS This Morning.

“He was disgusting. He was the embodiment of evil. My heart breaks for these women.”

Bill Gates provided CBS with a statement saying, “Meeting Epstein was a mistake that I deeply regret. It was a significant error in judgment.”

Bill Gates, 67, admitted to having “dined several times” with Epstein in the early 2010s.

This May, he said the meetings were part of an effort to raise money for the Gates Foundation.

“At that time, I did not understand that holding these meetings would be perceived as giving him credibility. You’re almost saying, “I forgive this behavior” or something like that,” Bill Gates told The Times in the UK.

“As clear as it is, I made a huge mistake by not understanding this.”

Bill Gates said that Epstein allegedly kept in touch with potential donors to the Gates Foundation’s global health initiatives. But Gates said the dinners “didn’t work out the way he envisioned, so I cut them off.”

In September 2021, Gates writhed and played with his ring finger when PBS Newshour host Judy Woodruff questioned him about his relationship with Epstein.

Woodruff asked Gates about having “several times” with Epstein after the latter had already been “convicted of forcing minors into prostitution.”

“You know, I had lunch with him,” Gates replied, fiddling with his hands nervously and tugging at the ring finger on his left hand.

“I regret this,” Gates said.

Additional reports by Thomas Barrabee and Lee Brown