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Melinda Gates had concerns over Bill’s association with sex-offender Epstein

The couple had had started working with divorce lawyers more than a year ago

HEALTH-ZIKA/GATES Reuters

Bill and Melinda Gates, who announced their split last week, had started working with divorce lawyers more than a year ago. Melinda French Gates was concerned about her husband’s dealings with the deceased financier and convicted sex offender. Bill Gates’ dealings with Epstein dates back to 2013, according to Melinda French Gates. The New York Times, in October 2019 had reported that the billionaire had met with Epstein several times, and once stayed late at his New York townhouse.

 Even after the divorce, the couple plan on remaining co-chairs and trustees of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Billionaire Warren Buffet is the third trustee at the foundation. A day after the split was announced, Cascade Investment, a holding company transferred shares worth $1.8 billion to Melinda Gates. This included equity stakes to four companies including those of Coca-Cola Femsa, Grupo Televisa and Canadian National Railway Co.

Days before he died in a New York jail, Epstein named a little-known biotech venture capitalist named Boris Nikolic, who worked as a science advisor as backup executor of his will. Nikolic told Bloomberg that Epstein had not consulted him about the will and that he had no intention to fulfil the duties. 

A spokesperson for Bill Gates said that Microsoft founder regretted having met Epstein. Epstein’s former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell is currently in jail, on charges of facilitating Epstein and his acquaintances with young girls, several of them underage, for them to have sexual relations with the older men. Ghislaine is also known to sometimes partake in sexual encounters or simply watch.

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