Jeffrey Epstein (left) and Bill Gates (right) pictured during an apparent meeting together
An adviser to Bill Gates texted Jeffrey Epstein saying that her boss was “very gross” and not the person people think he is, newly-released files reveal.
Melanie Walker, who worked for the Gates Foundation, frequently complained about the Microsoft founder to the paedophile, messages released by the justice department on Jan 30 show.
In one exchange from July 2017, nine years after he was convicted of soliciting prostitution from a child, Ms Walker wrote: “BG has been a huge distraction. And I feel so trapped.
“He’s very gross you have no idea. Not the person ppl [sic] think.”
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While her name was redacted in some messages, the subject of conversations between the pair suggests that it is Ms Walker, and an icon shows her initials as “MW”.
The number that she is messaging is listed in FBI documents as belonging to Epstein.
Mr Gates was accused in the release of three million files of contracting a sexually transmitted disease after sleeping with “Russian girls”.
Epstein sent an email to himself in 2013 claiming that Mr Gates had asked him for antibiotics he could “surreptitiously give” to his then-wife, Melinda French Gates.
He has vehemently denied the claim and insisted that Epstein’s email was fake.
Credit: 9News
The same year, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – as it was then known – funded research into condoms made of graphene, the world’s thinnest and strongest material.
The intention was to make the condom more desirable to use to increase usage for disease prevention.
Asked about the allegations that her husband had slipped her antibiotics after infecting her with an unknown sexually transmitted disease, Ms French Gates said she felt “unbelievable sadness”.
She urged him to “answer to” the allegations. Mr Gates then made his first public comments on the allegations following their release.
He said that he was foolish to have befriended the convicted paedophile. He also insisted that he had never met any women through Epstein.
A release from December showed the billionaire philanthropist posing with a woman whose face was redacted. It is not clear if she was one of Epstein’s victims.
Mr Gates photographed with a woman whose face is redacted – Department of justice
In another October 2018 text exchange, Ms Walker appears to suggest that Mr Gates is at risk of a #MeToo reckoning.
Sharing an article about Mr Gates being the sole investor in a venture of one of his employees, Larry Cohen, she wrote: “Makes me so angry. 20 employees and only investor etc and he did zero for me. Yes Larry has supported him for a lot longer but makes me so frustrated.”
Epstein responded that it was “soo unfair”.
“Wasting 15 years based on his promises for promotion and support and nothing,” she wrote back. “I still have all my clothing in ziplock bags, so I suspect if I get to a breaking point or a group of people #metoo him ! can join.”
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In other exchanges between the pair, they discuss apparent frictions between Ms Walker and Ms French Gates.
“He told me that it would be very hard to be involved in anything with me because Melinda felt it would be risky,” she told Epstein in another text chain in 2019.
“Doesn’t seem to have stopped him having you around that is total nonsense,” Epstein responded.
Mr Gates is renowned for being one of the world’s biggest philanthropists, donating some $100bn (£73bn) of his money through the Gates Foundation. He has pledged to give away nearly all his wealth by 2045.
In 2005, Queen Elizabeth II awarded him an honorary knighthood in recognition of his charity efforts.