Editing Bill Gates (section)

=== Relationship with Jeffrey Epstein ===
A 2019 ''[[New York Times]]'' article reported that Gates's relationship with financier [[Jeffrey Epstein]] started in 2011, just a few years after Epstein was convicted for procuring a [[Child prostitution|child for prostitution]], and continued for some years, including a visit to Epstein's house with his wife in the fall of 2013, despite her declared discomfort.<ref name="Flitter-2019">{{Cite web |last1=Flitter |first1=Emily |last2=Stewart |first2=James B. |date=October 12, 2019 |title=Bill Gates Met With Jeffrey Epstein Many Times, Despite His Past |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/12/business/jeffrey-epstein-bill-gates.html |url-access=limited |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220101/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/12/business/jeffrey-epstein-bill-gates.html |archive-date=January 1, 2022 |work=The New York Times}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Gates said in 2011 about Epstein: "His lifestyle is very different and kind of intriguing although it would not work for me".<ref name="Flitter" />

The depth of the friendship between Gates and Epstein is unclear though Gates generally commented that "I met him. I didn't have any business relationship or friendship with him".<ref name="Guardian">Martin Pengelly & Rupert Neate (May 10, 2021), [https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/may/10/melinda-bill-gates-divorce-jeffrey-epstein-meetings "Melinda Gates began divorce moves at time Bill's meetings with Jeffrey Epstein revealed"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210511000431/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/may/10/melinda-bill-gates-divorce-jeffrey-epstein-meetings |date=May 11, 2021 }}, ''The Guardian:'' "Her meeting with divorce lawyers in October 2019 is said to have taken place at roughly the same time as a New York Times article detailed Bill's meetings with Epstein, which included an overnight stay at Epstein's New York mansion."</ref> However, Gates visited Epstein "many times, despite [Epstein's] past".<ref name="Flitter-2019" /> It was reported that Epstein and Gates "discussed the Gates Foundation and philanthropy".<ref name="Flitter-2019" /> Gates stated "Every meeting where I was with him were meetings with men. I was never at any parties or anything like that. He never donated any money to anything that I know about."<ref name="Guardian" /> In August 2021, Gates said the reason he had meetings with Epstein was because Gates hoped Epstein could provide money for philanthropic work, though nothing came of the idea. Gates added, "It was a huge mistake to spend time with him, to give him the credibility of being there."<ref name="bbc5/8/2021" /> Gates came under further scrutiny after it was revealed that he had travelled on Epstein's private jet, though further claims about Gates travelling to Little St James proved unsubstantiated.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Norton |first=Tom |date=February 20, 2023 |title=Fact Check: Did Bill Gates visit Epstein island 37 times? |url=https://www.newsweek.com/fact-check-did-bill-gates-visit-epstein-island-37-times-1782440 |access-date=November 14, 2023 |website=Newsweek |language=en |archive-date=November 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231114133718/https://www.newsweek.com/fact-check-did-bill-gates-visit-epstein-island-37-times-1782440 |url-status=live }}</ref>

It has also been reported that Epstein and Gates met with [[Nobel Committee]] chair [[Thorbjørn Jagland]] at his residence in [[Strasbourg, France]], in March 2013 to discuss the [[Nobel Prize]].<ref>Tore Gjerstad & Gard Oterholm (October 2, 2020), [https://www.dn.no/magasinet/dokumentar/jeffrey-epstein/thorbjorn-jagland/terje-rod-larsen/bill-gates-and-jeffrey-epstein-met-with-nobel-committee-chair/2-1-885834 "Bill Gates and Jeffrey Epstein met with Nobel Committee chair"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923141554/https://www.dn.no/magasinet/dokumentar/jeffrey-epstein/thorbjorn-jagland/terje-rod-larsen/bill-gates-and-jeffrey-epstein-met-with-nobel-committee-chair/2-1-885834 |date=September 23, 2022 }}, ''[[Dagens Næringsliv]] Magasinet:'' "Not only did [[Thorbjørn Jagland|[Thorbjørn] Jagland]] meet Epstein, he hosted him at his lavish residence in [[Strasbourg, France]]. At the time, Jagland was the sitting chair of the committee, which awards the prestigious [[Nobel Peace Prize]]. Also present: a [[philanthropist]] [Gates] touted as a possible Prize recipient."</ref> Also in attendance were representatives of the [[International Peace Institute]] which has received millions in grants from the [[Gates Foundation]], including a $2.5 million "community engagement" grant in October 2013.<ref>(October 2013), [https://www.gatesfoundation.org/about/committed-grants/2013/10/opp1100586 "International Peace Institute, Inc."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923141600/https://www.gatesfoundation.org/about/committed-grants/2013/10/opp1100586 |date=September 23, 2022 }}, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation</ref> In 2023, it was reported that Epstein threatened to expose an alleged affair Gates had with a Russian [[Contract bridge|bridge]] player.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Safdar |first1=Khadeeja |last2=Glazer |first2=Emily |date=May 21, 2023 |title=Jeffrey Epstein Appeared to Threaten Bill Gates Over Microsoft Co-Founder's Affair With Russian Bridge Player |language=en-US |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/jeffrey-epstein-bill-gates-affair-russian-bridge-player-8b2022ff |access-date=May 22, 2023 |issn=0099-9660 |archive-date=May 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230522002146/https://www.wsj.com/articles/jeffrey-epstein-bill-gates-affair-russian-bridge-player-8b2022ff |url-status=live }}</ref>