Melinda French Gates said that the sexual‑offender Jeffrey Epstein could have been stopped, in a wide‑ranging interview with The Guardian that was published after lawmakers questioned her ex‑husband, Microsoft co‑founder Bill Gates, over his ties to the late figure. French Gates criticised the U.S. justice system, asserting that it “didn’t do its job” when dealing with Epstein, who died in jail seven years ago after prosecutors charged him with sexually exploiting and abusing dozens of underage girls.
In the interview, French Gates added that society is finally having a reckoning and that if children are to be protected, the justice system must work. The remarks come a few days after she testified at a closed‑door House Oversight Committee hearing, where Bill Gates said Epstein had tried to blackmail him with explicit details about his personal life, including extramarital affairs.
French Gates also spoke about her personal encounter with Epstein, saying she met him once and that the experience gave her nightmares. She described him as an “abhorrent human being” and a “horrid man,” noting that she never witnessed or had any indication of ongoing criminal conduct. She added that Epstein had sought to build an image of legitimacy around himself, using connections to reputable and powerful people to deflect scrutiny and attempt to rehabilitate his reputation.
Beyond the Epstein comments, French Gates is advocating for greater female representation in positions of power. She has recently committed $215 million toward women’s healthcare initiatives and says that when women step into full power, society benefits because “we are the bedrock of society and the bedrock of the family.” French Gates split from her now‑ex‑husband in 2021 after 27 years of marriage and stepped down from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in 2024, citing a desire to move forward into the next chapter of her philanthropy.
