Melinda Gates Expresses Concern Over Husband's Ties to Epstein in Minor Sexual Crime Case

Possibility of Emotional Outburst After 2-Year-Old Report on Epstein and Bill Gates Meeting
Divorce Terms Negotiated Throughout Last Year

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] Melinda, the wife who decided to divorce Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft (MS), reportedly expressed concerns about her husband's relationship with billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, who committed numerous sex crimes against minors before taking his own life.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 9th (local time) that Melinda has been consulting multiple divorce lawyers since at least 2019.

Sources and a former employee of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation told WSJ that Melinda had been worried about her husband's relationship with Epstein since 2013.

Melinda, who has been a leading advocate for women's rights, expressed discomfort to her husband about Epstein after meeting him together in 2013, but Bill Gates did not sever ties with Epstein, according to the former foundation employee.

In particular, it appears Melinda "exploded" after an article was published in the New York Times (NYT) in October 2019 reporting that Bill Gates had met with Epstein multiple times. This suggests the possibility that Melinda decided to divorce thereafter.

The article included details that Bill Gates had stayed late at Epstein's Manhattan townhouse.

The legal teams of both parties have been negotiating the divorce throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Melinda's legal team includes former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, billionaire investor Henry Kravis, and Robert Stephan Cohen, a famous New York lawyer who represented Ivana Trump, the first wife of former President Donald Trump, in her divorce proceedings.

Bill Gates also assembled a luxurious legal team including Ronald Olson, well known as the attorney for Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.