Melinda French Gates became emotional while discussing convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in a recent interview, saying she immediately sensed something was wrong when she met him and describing the encounter as one that left a lasting impact on her.
French Gates, the philanthropist and former wife of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, spoke candidly about the experience during an interview with The Guardian, where she reflected on her brief interaction with Epstein and the role the relationship played in her eventual divorce.
According to the interview, French Gates became visibly distressed when asked about meeting Epstein at his New York townhouse in 2013 during a gathering attended by her then-husband.
“My heart is racing,” she said during the discussion, placing her hand on her chest as she reflected on the encounter.
French Gates said she immediately felt uncomfortable around Epstein and described him as someone she instinctively viewed as dangerous.
“Have you ever in your life been around somebody that you just know is evil?” she said.
She added that people should trust their instincts when interacting with others and suggested that intuition can often provide valuable warnings.
The interview revisited long-standing questions surrounding Bill Gates’ relationship with Epstein, which has drawn scrutiny for years. Epstein died in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide.
French Gates previously said her former husband’s interactions with Epstein were among the factors that contributed to the end of their marriage. The couple divorced in 2021 after 27 years together.
Earlier this year, Bill Gates appeared before the House Oversight Committee and addressed questions related to Epstein. In prepared remarks and testimony, Gates acknowledged maintaining contact with Epstein after being introduced to him in 2011.
Gates said Epstein had presented himself as someone capable of helping raise large sums of money for global health and philanthropic initiatives.
He also stated that he regretted the association and acknowledged that French Gates had expressed concerns about Epstein long before their relationship became a public controversy.
“To give her credit, she was always kind of skeptical about the Epstein thing,” Gates previously said.
The interview also touched on allegations that surfaced in documents connected to Epstein. Gates has strongly denied claims that he engaged in misconduct or participated in any illegal activity associated with Epstein.
Gates told lawmakers that he never visited Epstein’s private island, ranch or Florida residence and maintained that he never witnessed illegal conduct during their interactions.
“I never victimized anyone,” Gates said during his testimony.
He also alleged that Epstein later attempted to use knowledge of his personal affairs as leverage in an effort to maintain their relationship after Gates sought to distance himself, per the New York Post.
French Gates said the controversy remains painful because of the suffering experienced by Epstein’s victims.
She told the publication that her thoughts continue to be with the young women who were harmed.
“He was an abhorrent human being, a horrid man,” French Gates said.
She added that victims deserve peace and justice and said she believes speaking honestly about her experiences remains important.
French Gates said she continues to stand by her previous comments regarding Epstein and the impact his actions had on countless lives.
