In the wake of renewed scrutiny over his past association with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, Bill Gates has apologised to staff at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, acknowledging what he described as a “huge mistake.”

The apology came during a recent internal town hall meeting, after newly released documents linked to the so-called Epstein Files reignited public debate over Gates’ interactions with Epstein. According to a statement shared with Reuters by a Foundation spokesperson, Gates “took responsibility for his actions” and addressed concerns directly with employees.

During the meeting, Gates admitted that spending time with Epstein — and involving senior Foundation executives in meetings with him — was an error in judgment. He told staff that it was “a huge mistake” and expressed regret for the impact the controversy has had on the organisation and its employees.

“I apologise to other people who are drawn into this because of the mistake that I made,” Gates said, according to reports from the town hall. He sought to reassure staff that he had not engaged in any illegal activity. “I did nothing illicit. I saw nothing illicit,” he stated. Addressing speculation surrounding his presence at meetings connected to Epstein, Gates added, “I never spent any time with victims, the women around him.”

The renewed criticism follows the publication of US Department of Justice records and images that detail multiple meetings between Gates and Epstein. Some of the documents reportedly include photographs showing Gates with women whose identities were redacted.

At the same internal gathering, Gates also acknowledged that he had two affairs with Russian women, references to which reportedly appear in the Epstein-related documents. However, he clarified that these relationships were unrelated to Epstein’s criminal conduct and did not involve any of Epstein’s victims. He emphasised that while Epstein later became aware of the affairs, they had no connection to his crimes.

Earlier this month, the Foundation reiterated that it had never made financial payments to Epstein and had never employed him in any capacity.

The controversy has already had public consequences. Gates recently withdrew from the India AI Impact Summit 2026, where he had been scheduled to speak alongside global technology leaders including Sundar Pichai, Sam Altman, and Dario Amodei. The Foundation announced his decision just hours before the event, stating that it was made to ensure the summit’s core discussions were not overshadowed by the ongoing controversy.

“After careful consideration, and to ensure the focus remains on the AI Summit’s key priorities, Mr Gates will not be delivering his keynote address,” the statement said at the time.

As the Epstein Files continue to draw attention, Gates’ public apology marks a significant attempt to address the issue internally and publicly. While he has firmly denied any wrongdoing, the episode remains a reminder of how past associations can resurface and test the credibility of even the world’s most prominent philanthropists.