The Gates Foundation is investigating its ties to Epstein—just weeks before Bill Gates faces Congress |
The Gates Foundation is investigating its ties to Epstein—just weeks before Bill Gates faces Congress
The Gates Foundation has commissioned an external investigation of its past engagement with Jeffrey Epstein, CEO Mark Suzman told staff in a memo this week, as billionaire and foundation co-founder Bill Gates prepares to testify before Congress in June about his relationship with the late sex offender.
The memo was first reported by the Wall Street Journal. In a statement the Foundation gave the Journal, they said the review was launched in March with help from Gates and the foundation’s independent board members and is expected to deliver an update this summer. It will also examine the foundation’s policies for vetting new philanthropic partnerships, according to the memo. A recent board meeting in London included a session on the impact of the Justice Department’s Epstein files on the foundation, Suzman wrote in the memo.
The review follows Fortune’s March investigation into how Epstein spent nearly a decade embedding himself in Gates’ inner circle. A spokesman for Gates told Fortune in March that Gates “regrets meeting with Epstein” and that he “never witnessed or engaged in any illicit or illegal behavior.” The Gates Foundation did not immediately respond to Fortune’s request for comment for this story.
Based on documents from the more than 3 million pages of........