The Gates Foundation began an external investigation earlier this year into its relationship with the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the philanthropic group said Tuesday.
The foundation has been embroiled in controversy due to Bill Gates’ association with Epstein. The release of emails in January by the US Department of Justice also revealed communication between Epstein and Gates Foundation officials.
“Earlier this year, Gates Foundation CEO Mark Suzman commissioned an external investigation to evaluate the foundation’s past relationship with and our current policies for selecting and developing new philanthropic partnerships,” the foundation said in a statement.
“This investigation is ongoing and we expect the board and administration to receive an update this summer,” he added.
O Wall Street Journalwhich reported firsthand, reported that Suzman told employees in a memo: “This is a challenging time for our organization in many ways, but it also highlights the crucial importance of taking difficult action now.”
The foundation told Reuters that the investigation was announced in an organization-wide email in March.
In February, the organization stated that it did not make any financial payments to or employ him at any time and that it regrets that any employee interacted with him in any way.
The Justice Department documents also included photos of Bill Gates with Epstein, as well as with women whose faces were blacked out.
Gates stated that his relationship with Epstein was limited to philanthropy and that it was a mistake to meet with him. He also denied having spent time with victims of sexual abuse committed by the financier.
A spokesperson for the organization told Reuters that during a meeting with foundation officials in February, Gates discussed his ties to Epstein.
Bill Gates is the president and board member of the foundation he and his then wife created in 2000, which is one of the largest funders of global health initiatives in the world.
