Melinda French Gates says Bill Gates' continued relationship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein was a contributing factor in their divorce.
In her first interview since the divorce, French Gates revealed her ex-husband struck up a relationship with Epstein after he was convicted.
Speaking with CBS Mornings, she said she warned him the financier was "evil personified" but it didn't deter him.
She told the outlet she met Epstein once because she wanted to "see who this man was" but instantly regretted it.
"He was abhorrent. He was evil personified. I had nightmares about it afterwards," she told CBS.
"So, you know, my heart breaks for these young women, because that's how I felt, and here I'm an older woman. My god, I feel terrible for those young women. It was awful."
French Gates said her ex-husband met with the paedophile numerous times. When asked more about Gates' meetings with Epstein, she said those were questions for her ex-husband.
In a statement to CBS, Bill Gates said he "deeply" regrets meeting with the sex offender.
"Meeting with Epstein was a mistake that I regret deeply. It was a substantial error in judgement.
"I remain dedicated to my work at the Gates Foundation in partnership with Melinda, where our focus is to help reduce global inequities, giving every person the chance to live a healthy and productive life," he said.
It's not the first time French Gates expressed concerns about her ex's relationship with Epstein.
She reportedly raised concerns as far back as 2013, a former employee of the couple's foundation told the Wall Street Journal in 2021.
The billionaire couple announced their divorce in May last year after 27 years of marriage and a 34-year relationship.
Epstein died in his jail cell in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
