Melinda Gates decisively ended her marriage to Bill Gates following revelations from the Epstein files that linked the Microsoft co-founder to a plan involving Russian women and a sexually transmitted disease. These documents suggested he intended to give Melinda an antibiotic to address the infection he had contracted.

The 61-year-old philanthropist, who finalized her divorce from Gates in 2021, expressed profound sympathy for Epstein’s victims. Melinda emphasized that those involved, including her former husband, owe the public some explanations.

In a recent episode of NPR’s Wild Card podcast, Melinda spoke with a heavy heart about the young women who were allegedly victimized by the late financier.

“I believe we’re facing a societal reckoning,” she remarked. “No girl should ever endure what Epstein’s victims went through, nor the circumstances surrounding him and those associated with him,” she added, visibly distressed.

She continued, “It’s unbearably tragic. I recall being the age those girls were, and it makes me think of my own daughters at that age.”

Melinda also mentioned, “These revelations are personally challenging, as they bring back painful memories from my marriage,” reflecting on a difficult chapter in her life.

She then made a sharp pivot, telling podcast host Rachel Martin that she has nothing to do with what has come to light. 

‘I purposely pushed it away and I moved on. I’m in a really unexpected, beautiful place in my life. So whatever questions remain there of what, I don’t [and] can’t even begin to know all of it, those questions are for those people and even my ex-husband,’ she stated. ‘They need to answer those questions, not me.’ 

Melinda Gates responded to the recent allegations brought against her ex-husband Bill Gates as part of the Epstein Files while speaking on a podcast

Gates, second right, featured heavily in the recent release of documents related to pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, second left

Melinda, who has two daughters and a son with Gates, added: ‘And I am so happy to be away from all the muck.’ 

When asked specifically about how the recent details about her ex-husband’s alleged affairs made her feel, she responded: ‘Sad. Just unbelievable sadness. Unbelievable sadness.’

Her comments come just days after a trove of new Epstein files was released, including an email that outlined shocking allegations over her former partner’s sexual lifestyle. 

The allegations were part of an email that appeared to be a draft of a letter intended to be sent by Gates’s then-top adviser, Boris Nikolic, around his resignation from the Microsoft billionaire’s charitable foundation. 

The lengthy message lashed out at Gates for ending their friendship and says: ‘TO add insult to the injury you them [sic] implore me to please delete the emails regarding your std, your request that I provide you antibiotics that you can surreptitiously give to Melinda and the description of your penis.’ 

The emails were among the hundreds of thousands of Epstein files released by the Department of Justice on Friday morning.

Friday’s release also included multiple new undated images of Epstein and Gates together in various locations.

The couple were married from 1994 to 2021. Melinda cited Gates’s affairs and friendship with Epstein as reasons for the divorce, but did not divulge further details

Friday’s release also included multiple new undated images of Epstein and Gates together in various locations

Gates has previously said he regrets his friendship with the pedophile, who died in a New York City jail in 2019, but has long denied any impropriety.

Over the years, Gates has sought to downplay his years-long relationship with Epstein, claiming the pair did not have a ‘business relationship or friendship’ and alleging all of their meetings were in group settings. He also previously denied attending any of the pedophile’s parties or going to his various residences. 

Earlier in the same message, Epstein said he had been ‘dismayed beyond comprehension’ by Gates’s decision to ‘disregard our friendship developed over the last six years.’

Appearing to write from the point of view of Nikolic, another email on the same morning offered his resignation from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

He wrote: ‘I have been caught up in a severe marital dispute between Melinda and Bill…

‘In my role as his right hand man I have been asked and wrongly acquiesced into participating in things that have ranged from the morally inappropriate, to the ethically unsound and have been repeatedly asked to do thing [sic] that get near and potentially over the line into the illegal…

‘From helping Bill to get drugs, in order to deal with consequences of sex with russian girls, to facilitating his illicit trusts, with married women, to being asked to provide adderall fro [sic] bridge touramnts [sic], as I am a medial [sic] doctor, but have no presriptions [sic] writing ability.’

Following the latest release, which included lurid claims about Gates, a spokesman for the billionaire told the Daily Mail: ‘These claims are absolutely absurd and completely false’

Following the latest release, a spokesman for Gates told the Daily Mail: ‘These claims are absolutely absurd and completely false.

‘The only thing these documents demonstrate is Epstein’s frustration that he did not have an ongoing relationship with Gates and the lengths he would go to entrap and defame.’

Melinda and Gates were married from 1994 to 2021. She cited Gates’s affairs and friendship with Epstein as reasons for the divorce, but did not divulge further details. 

Melinda reportedly hired lawyers to plan the split in 2019, after reports emerged about his repeated meetings with Epstein, contradicting the Microsoft founder’s earlier public denials.

She retained counsel after becoming concerned about her husband’s alleged business dealings with the pedophile financier, The Wall Street Journal reported.