Melinda French Gates Expresses ‘Unbelievable Sadness’ Over Epstein Files Naming Ex-Husband Bill Gates

Melinda French Gates has spoken publicly for the first time about the emotional toll of seeing her ex-husband, Bill Gates, named in the latest tranche of Jeffrey Epstein files released by the U.S. Department of Justice.

In a preview clip from her upcoming interview on NPR’s Wild Card podcast with host Rachel Martin — set to air in full on February 5 — French Gates described her reaction as one of “unbelievable sadness” that dredged up painful memories from their marriage.

The Reaction: “Unbelievable Sadness”

Addressing the references to Bill Gates in the more than 3 million pages of documents made public on January 30, French Gates emphasized the personal nature of the pain while shifting responsibility to her ex-husband.

• Emotional Toll: “For me, it’s personally hard whenever those details come up… because it brings back memories of some very, very painful times in my marriage,” she stated.

• Accountability: She added that any remaining questions are not for her to answer: “Whatever questions remain there… those questions are for those people and for even my ex-husband. They need to answer to those things, not me.”

• Focus on Victims: French Gates expressed deep sympathy for Epstein’s victims, calling their experiences “beyond heartbreaking” and stressing that “no girl should ever be put in the situation that they were put in by Epstein.”

The Allegations: Unverified Writings

The comments come in response to unverified draft emails and notes apparently authored by Epstein around July 2013, which surfaced as part of the Epstein Files Transparency Act release.

• The Claims: The documents include draft emails Epstein addressed to himself, alleging that Gates engaged in extramarital affairs and sought antibiotics for a sexually transmitted infection (STI), which he allegedly planned to give to Melinda without her knowledge.

• The Denial: A spokesperson for Bill Gates has strongly denied the allegations as “absolutely absurd and completely false,” describing them as Epstein’s attempts to “entrap and defame” him after Gates severed ties with the financier.

• Lack of Evidence: No independent corroboration — such as witness statements or medical records — has surfaced in the files to support these specific claims, which are viewed by observers as the “trashy ruminations” of a disgruntled individual.

Context: The 2021 Divorce

The couple’s 2021 divorce was publicly attributed in part to strains from Gates’ association with Epstein. Melinda has previously cited his ties to the financier as a factor in the split, describing Epstein as “evil personified.”