Bill Gates withdrew from a scheduled keynote appearance at the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi on Thursday, following renewed scrutiny over his prior association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Hours before Gates was set to deliver his address, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation released a statement announcing that he would no longer participate.
“After careful consideration, and to ensure the focus remains on the AI Summit’s key priorities, Mr. Gates will not be delivering his keynote address,” the foundation said in a statement shared with Fox News Digital.
Instead, Ankur Vora, president of the foundation’s Africa and India offices, delivered remarks at the event.
DOJ Email Release Renews Scrutiny
Gates’ withdrawal came after the U.S. Department of Justice released more than 3 million emails related to the Epstein investigation, including communications tied to Epstein’s personal accounts. Some of the released materials reportedly included references to Gates, alleging he had engaged in extramarital affairs and sought medication to treat a sexually transmitted infection.
Gates has previously acknowledged meeting with Epstein and has publicly expressed regret over the relationship.
“I met Jeffrey in 2011,” Gates said in a past interview. “So, over a period of three years, I had a number of dinners with him. The focus was always, he knew a lot of very rich people, and he was saying he could get them to give money to global health. You know, in retrospect, that was a dead end.”
“And I’ve said many times, but I’ll say again: I was foolish to spend time with him. I’m one of many people who regret ever knowing him,” he added.
Epstein, who faced federal sex trafficking charges, died in 2019 while in custody. His case has continued to generate widespread political and media attention, with lawmakers recently escalating calls for further investigation and transparency.
Personal and Political Fallout
Gates’ former wife, Melinda French Gates, has also addressed questions surrounding her ex-husband’s past association with Epstein.
“Those questions are for those people and for even my ex-husband. They need the answer to those things, not me,” she said in a prior interview. “Well, and I am so happy to be away from all the muck.”
Gates, who co-founded Microsoft in 1975, has largely focused on “global health,” development, and climate initiatives in recent years through his foundation work. The India AI Impact Summit appearance would have marked a high-profile engagement centered on artificial intelligence’s role in economic and social development.
The foundation did not provide additional details about the decision to withdraw, and it remains unclear whether Gates will reschedule his appearance at a future event.
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