Congressional Democrats on Thursday released dozens of previously unseen photographs from the estate of the late Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender whose extensive network of high-profile contacts has continued to draw scrutiny years after his death.
The images include photographs featuring Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, political philosopher and activist Noam Chomsky, and former Trump adviser Steve Bannon.
The release comes just one day before the US Justice Department is legally required to make public unclassified files related to its investigation into Epstein, the disgraced financier who died in federal custody in 2019.
Why Are Congressional Democrats Releasing Epstein Files?
Democrats on the House Oversight Committee said the photographs were released as part of an effort to provide greater transparency into Epstein’s activities and the individuals connected to him.
According to committee members, the move is intended to shed light on Epstein’s network of associations and the extent of his interactions with influential figures across politics, business and academia.
Melinda French Gates on Epstein’s Role in Divorce Decision
The renewed focus on Epstein has also revived attention on past statements made by Melinda French Gates regarding her former husband’s interactions with the convicted sex trafficker.
In 2022, Melinda French Gates revealed that there were multiple factors behind her decision to divorce Bill Gates after 27 years of marriage, including his meetings with Epstein.
The philanthropist said the end of the marriage was the result of “not one thing but many things,” making clear that her discomfort with Epstein played a role.
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“I did not like that he had meetings with Jeffrey Epstein, no. I made that clear to him,” she said.
Melinda Gates also disclosed that she met Epstein herself on one occasion. “I met him exactly one time because I wanted to see who this man was,” she said, adding that the encounter left a lasting impression.
“I regretted it the second I walked in the door. He was abhorrent. He was evil personified. My heart breaks for these women,” she said.
When Bill Gates Regretted Interacting With Epstein
Bill Gates has publicly acknowledged that his interactions with Epstein were a mistake.
“Meeting with Epstein was a mistake that I regret deeply. It was a substantial error in judgment,” Bill Gates was quoted by CBS.
“It was a huge mistake to spend time with him, to give him the credibility of being there,” Gates said at the time.
Bill Gates Says Meetings Were Linked to Philanthropy Efforts
Gates has said that his meetings with Epstein were motivated by an attempt to raise funds for global health initiatives.
“I had several dinners with him, you know, hoping that what he said about getting billions of philanthropy for global health through contacts that he had might emerge,” Gates said.
Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates Marriage
Bill and Melinda Gates first met in the 1980s; however, ended their 27-year marriage while announcing their divorce in 2021. The former couple said, “we no longer believe we can grow together as a couple.”
“After a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship, we have made the decision to end our marriage,” the duo posted on X at that time.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
