New York — The Gates Foundation is reviewing its relationships with convicted sex offenders Jeffrey EpsteinThe World Health Fund confirmed on Wednesday that its sole remaining founder is facing increased scrutiny over his appearances Ministry of Justice documents Related to the investigation of the disgraced financier.
Microsoft founder Bill Gates He reportedly spoke “openly” about his relationship to Epstein at a town hall meeting in February for the influential foundation he started with his ex-wife, Melinda French Gates. But the outside investigation represents the nonprofit’s simplest attempt yet to address associations that have clouded its focus Efforts to end preventable maternal and child deaths Control of major infectious diseases.
“In March, with the support of our Chairman, Bill Gates, and independent board members, Mark Suzman, CEO of the Gates Foundation, commissioned an external review to evaluate the Foundation’s past involvement with Epstein, and our current policies for examining and developing new charitable partnerships,” the Gates Foundation said in a statement. The Wall Street Journal first reported news of the staff memo detailing the review.
The philanthropic giant has already seen a period of change. The Gates Foundation shared its plans in January to reduce operating costs and Gradually reduce up to 500 jobsor about 20% of its employees, by 2030. The move follows last year’s announcement that The institution will close in 2045earlier than previously expected.
The Justice Department’s files include email correspondence between Gates and Epstein about charitable projects, calendar entries documenting dates of meetings and photos of Gates at events attended by both men. Gates has not been accused of wrongdoing in connection with their relationship, denies knowledge of Epstein’s crimes and claims they only met to discuss charity work.
The foundation acknowledged that a “small number” of employees met with Epstein based on his “claims that he could mobilize significant charitable resources for global health and development” in a statement issued in February. They never set up a fund together and the foundation made no financial payments to Epstein, according to the previous release.
“The Foundation regrets that any employee interacted with Epstein in any way,” the statement read.
The disclosure of the files is being closely followed by one of the Gates Foundation’s earliest and most enthusiastic supporters. Investor Warren Buffett, who donates a portion of his annual Berkshire Hathaway stock to the nonprofit, told CNBC’s “Squawk Box” last month that there was clearly “a lot that I didn’t know.”
Buffett, who resigned as foundation trustee in 2021, completed his donation each year around the end of June. But he said he would “wait and see what unfolds” in the Justice Department documents and congressional hearings on their contents. He noted that the foundation is “sitting” on a large endowment totaling $86 billion, and said Gates has “a lot of his own money.”
“So, anyway, I’ll wait and see,” Buffett said of the Epstein files. “And there’s three and a half million, or however many pages – I mean, it’s astounding.”
A Gates Foundation spokesperson called Buffet an “extremely generous partner” for nearly two decades in a statement issued Wednesday to The Associated Press.
“We are extremely grateful for his support, which has enabled us to accelerate progress on some of the world’s toughest challenges that would not have otherwise been possible,” the spokesperson said.
The Gates Foundation expects its board and management to receive an update on the Epstein review this summer. The names of the third-party investigators have not been publicly disclosed.
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The Associated Press receives financial support for news coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation and for news coverage of women in the workforce and government from Melinda French’s Gates Foundation, Pivotal Ventures. ___
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