The deceased convicted pedophile and sexual offender Jeffrey Epstein, additionally accused of the sex trafficking of underage girls, spoke more than once with Microsoft founder Bill Gates, and at least one meeting took place after Epstein served his first prison term for soliciting an underage prostitute, CNBC reported Wednesday.
Citing sources “with direct knowledge of the matter,” the CNBC report says Epstein sought to meet Gates to discuss “ways to increase philanthropic spending.”
The sources say one meeting took place in 2013, while Gates was no longer Microsoft CEO, but remained the tech giant’s chairman. Epstein served a 13-month prison term in 2008, and his criminal history was well known by the time, the report says.
The exact matter of the discussions remains unknown, but sources say other “philanthropic leaders” were in attendance.
After meeting with Epstein in 2013, Gates flew in one of Epstein’s planes to meet with his family in Palm Beach, the report says, adding that the plane in question was not Epstein’s infamous “Lolita Express,” reportedly used for trafficking underage girls.
Gates’s spokesperson did not deny that the tech billionaire met with the pedophile, the CNBC report says, but underscored that Epstein never provided advisory services for Gates.
“Epstein never provided tax, estate or services of any kind to Bill Gates,” the spokesperson said.
The Gates statement appears to be in contradiction to people who knew Epstein, such as Alan Dershowitz, the Epstein’s former attorney.
“He said he did [spend time with Gates], but I have no idea,” Dershowitz said, according to CNBC. The lawyer added that Epstein claimed he did advise Gates, but “not in an official way. Just that he was advising him.”
The alleged sex trafficker is notorious for his vast connections among the rich and powerful, including US Presidents Bill Clinton and Donald Trump. However, it is unclear to what extent Epstein exaggerated his circle, as many deny their connections to the “radioactive” sex offender. Earlier this month, Tesla denied Epstein provided advisory services for Elon Musk, as Epstein previously claimed.
Epstein was found dead in a prison cell on 10 August in what appears to be a suicide. When he was alive, Epstein boasted that he had dirt on a number of powerful people. His death immediately sparked conspiracy theories, with many believing Epstein’s powerful friends worked to keep the man’s mouth shut – permanently.