The former chief executive of Microsoft, Bill Gates, has issued a categorical denial of any significant relationship with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as British institutions intensify calls for a full accounting of the financier’s connections to prominent figures.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Gates acknowledged meeting Epstein on several occasions but insisted their interactions were limited to philanthropic discussions. “I had no business partnership or personal friendship with Jeffrey Epstein,” the statement read. “I regret ever meeting with him, as it has given the false impression that I condoned his crimes.”
The denial comes amid a fresh wave of scrutiny from British universities, charities, and government bodies that have received donations or cooperation from Epstein-linked entities. The University of Oxford, which accepted a research grant from an Epstein-founded foundation, has launched an internal review. A spokesperson said the institution is “committed to understanding how its due diligence processes failed to raise concerns.”
Whitehall sources have indicated that the Foreign Office is considering whether to request a full disclosure of all Epstein-related interactions involving British organisations. “There is a serious question of institutional integrity here,” one senior official said. “We cannot afford to have any ambiguity about the extent to which Epstein’s wealth influenced British academia or public life.”
The Epstein scandal has reverberated through elite circles on both sides of the Atlantic. In the United States, a long-running federal investigation into Epstein’s trafficking network has already implicated several high-profile figures. British institutions, however, have been slower to respond to the allegations, prompting criticism from transparency campaigners.
Gates’s denial is unlikely to quell the controversy. Court documents released earlier this year suggest that Gates met with Epstein on multiple occasions between 2011 and 2013, long after Epstein had been convicted of soliciting prostitution from a minor. Gates has previously claimed that their meetings were focused on global health issues, though critics have questioned why he would seek advice from a known sex offender.
The demand for transparency is now extending beyond Gates to encompass other British organisations that had dealings with Epstein. The London School of Economics, which received £1.5 million from a trust linked to Epstein, has stated that it will not return the money but will review its donation policies. The Royal Society, which awarded Epstein a fellowship in 2000, has faced calls to rescind the honour.
The situation presents a delicate challenge for British soft power. The country’s reputation for rigorous governance and institutional probity is being tested by the association with Epstein. “The scale of the problem is not fully known because so many interactions were informal,” said a former diplomat. “What is clear is that institutions must now confront the credibility deficit head-on.”
Gates, for his part, has tried to focus attention on his philanthropic foundation’s work. But the denial has not satisfied all his detractors. A growing chorus of voices is calling for a parliamentary investigation into the extent of Epstein’s influence in Britain, a step that the government has so far resisted.
As the controversy continues to spread, one thing is certain: the demand for transparency will not fade. British institutions, like their American counterparts, are learning that the legacy of Jeffrey Epstein cannot be ignored.
