Bill Gates' ex-wife, Melinda, has made a shocking confession about Bill's infamous friendship with the late Jeffrey Epstein.

Melinda Shared The Information During An Interview

Melinda made some shocking revelations while she gave an interview on CBS Mornings.

Epstein Was Initially Convicted For His Crimes In 2005

Jeffrey Epstein managed to make a name for himself while working with the elite investment bank, Bear Stearns. Eventually, he launched his investment firm.

In 2008, he was found guilty of operating an underage pornography ring. The criminal establishment had links to several high-profile people.

After his conviction, he spent 13 months in prison.

After Time In Prison, Things Got Worse For Epstein

Epstein was once again arrested on July 6th, 2019. Again, he was accused of trafficking in minors in Florida and New York.

He was put in custody in New York prison as he awaited his trial.

For many years, Epstein managed to avoid the consequences of his terrible crimes. His wealth and the social clout he carried had plenty to do with his ability to avoid arrest for his crimes.

Consequently, many of his victims were relieved when he was arrested because justice was finally being served.

His Conviction Was Expected To Lead To The Revelation Of Other High-Profile Sex Offenders

To many people, Epstein's conviction would help reveal other popular sex offenders.

Epstein had many famous friends who often visited his island, the scene of many crimes that landed him in jail.

Prince Andrew was one of Epstein's famous friends. As with other high-profile friends associated with Epstein, the member of the British Royal Family said he was not connected with Epstein's scandal in any way.

A lot of people did not agree with his claims.

A Shocking Development Happened Before Epstein Could Talk About His Friends' Involvement

Before Epstein had a chance to speak about friends involved in his scandal, he was found dead in his cell after an apparent suicide.

Some People Doubted Epstein Had Really Committed Suicide

Given the gravity of his crimes and the profile of those accused of being linked to his criminal ring, many people doubted that he committed suicide.

After Epstein's Death, There Was No Progress In The Case

Following Epstein's death, there was little progress in the case. Then Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich was released on Netflix, drawing attention to the case once more.

All of Epstein's victims had very similar and horrific stories of how they were assaulted as they gave his buddies "massages."

The Role Of Epstein's Ex-Girlfriend In The Scandal Was Also Explored

Ghislaine Maxwell's involvement in the scandal was also explored.

During the time Maxwell remained silent, nobody criticized or questioned her for her role in the scandal.

Maxwell Was Arrested In New Hampshire By The FBI

In 2020, Maxwell was put under arrest. During her hearing, she was considered a flight risk.

For that reason, she was put in custody as she was being taken to New York for her detention hearing.

Among the charges Maxwell was facing was the enticement of minors and trafficking in underage girls. She was also accused of lying about her involvement in Epstein's trafficking ring during a deposition in 2016.

According to her lawyer, Bobbi Sternheim, Maxwell was having a tough time in prison.

Her lawyer claimed that Maxwell's imprisonment conditions were much tougher than those experienced by inmates serving time for murder and terrorism.

Maxwell Was In Solitary Confinement

Sternheim complained that Maxwell was being put in solitary confinement where she was being "excessively and invasively" watched throughout the day.

According to Maxwell's lawyer, she was watched in and outside her cell.

Sternheim Pushed For Better Prison Conditions For Maxwell

The lawyer spoke against Maxwell's imprisonment conditions hoping that this would get her some sympathy. Unfortunately for her, the plan did not work out as well as she had hoped.

Before Maxwell's trial began on November 29th, 2021, her lawyer made another request for bail. According to Maxwell's lawyer, her jail was "inappropriate."

Her Lawyer Said Her Incarceration Conditions Were Similar To Those Of Dr. Hannibal Lecter

Due to the surveillance, Maxwell was experiencing while in jail, her lawyer said it was no different from what Hannibal Lecter went through, except for the cage and the plastic faceguard.

Sternheim also said that Maxwell's imprisonment conditions for the previous 16 months were "reprehensible and utterly inappropriate" for a woman about to turn 60 and without a history of violence.

She also pointed out that her client did not have a history of violence. The lawyer said these words while describing Maxwell's time at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.

The Surveillance Was "Unwarranted, Unrelenting..."

The lawyer argued that Maxwell had been subjected to physical and emotional abuse while in jail. She was also exposed to poor and unsanitary living conditions, inadequate nutrition, and sleep deprivation.

Sternheim also noted that Maxwell did not have an easy time reviewing millions of legal discovery documents used in the case against her.

Maxwell Also Defended Herself

Maxwell told the media that she had stopped taking daily showers because of the "creepy guards" who would stand near her and stare at her the entire time. She also used a toilet with an open sewer room where a rat would regularly visit her.

Her Complains Went Unheeded

When she complained about a rat, the guards did nothing about it. On the day the rat popped and charged at one of the guards, who screamed in terror, they finally took action and covered the sewer drain.

Maxwell Requested For Bail Once Again

Unfortunately for her, all her requests for bail were turned down by the court.

Opening Arguments For Maxwell's Trial Began

As the trial began, Maxwell seemed quite calm.

She Was Upbeat And Could Be Seen Laughing With Her Defense Lawyers

Her lawyers included Leah Saffian, Christian Everdale, and Bobbi Sternheim. She was constantly talking to them throughout the hearing.

Maxwell also waved at her sister, who was sitting behind her during the hearing. Her conduct led many to believe that she had no remorse for her charges.

People Also Noticed Her Hair

Some of the exposed details included a booklet containing rules that the staff had to abide by.

The revelation involved photos of Maxwell and Epstein together.

Maxwell And Epstein Were Enjoying Themselves

In the pictures, the couple enjoyed vacations and each other's company. This was far from what Maxwell would have wanted the court to see.

More Than A Dozen Photos Of Maxwell And Epstein Were Shared

The photos showed the deep connection the pair had while together. The prosecutor said that the pictures demonstrated Maxwell and Epstein's close relationship throughout their many years together.

The photos showed the changing hairstyles, indicating that they were "clearly aging" together, at least as far as Prosecutor Alison Moe was concerned.

In The End, A Decision Was Made

Except for one, Maxwell was found guilty of all the other charges leveled against her. She could face up to 65 years behind bars, which means she could be 125 years old by the time she is set free.

Once Maxwell Was Found Guilty, It Was Prince Andrew's Turn To Explain Himself

Maxwell was not the only high-profile person with connections to Epstein. Prince Andrew, Donald Trump, and Bill Clinton were among those linked to Jeffrey Epstein.

Virginia Giuffre Claimed That Prince Andrew Assaulted Her

Giuffre claimed that she had been trafficked by Epstein and then assaulted by Prince Andrew. She opened up about the sexual assault she underwent on the Netflix miniseries Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich.

Based on her confession, Giuffre was trafficked to Prince Andrew on at least three separate occasions. Prince Andrew is one of Queen Elizabeth II's sons.

When Giuffre Was 17, She Was Given Instructions By Maxwell On How To Treat Prince Andrew

Maxwell told her to do for the Prince what she had done for Epstein. The incident took place in Maxwell's London apartment.

Prince Andrew Denied The Claims During A BBC Interview

Prince Andrew said that what Giuffre had said never happened. He also said he did not remember a photo taken of him and seventeen-year-old Giuffre.

Prince Andrew Said He Had No Idea If That Was His Hand In The Photo

Also, when he was asked why he stayed at Epstein's home in New York even after his conviction, he said that the place was convenient for him to stay. Nevertheless, he denied having sex with Giuffre on three different occasions, as she claimed during a US deposition.

According to Giuffre's claims, she had been trafficked to Prince Andrew by Epstein when she was seventeen years old.

Giuffre was paid $500,000 by Epstein in 2019, on condition that she could not sue anyone who had any connection to him as a "potential defendant."

Prince Andrew Wanted The Case Opened Against Him By Giuffre Dismissed

The judge rejected the request to have the case dismissed.

Andrew Brettler, Prince Andrew's Lawyer, Asked For The Case To Be Dismissed In A Video Teleconference

The teleconference was held on January 12th. His lawyers tried to argue that the agreement between Epstein and Giuffre was adequate grounds for dismissing the case.

Prince Andrew's Name Was Not Mentioned In The Agreement

Even though Prince Andrew's name was not in agreement, his lawyers tried to use it to protect him from getting sued.

The agreement claimed that it would "remise, release, acquit, satisfy, and forever discharge... any other person or entity who could have been included as a potential defendant."

His Lawyer Claimed A Potential Defendant Could Be Someone Who Can Be Named As A Defendant In The Lawsuit

Nevertheless, the judge claimed that the phrase "potential defendant" had at least two interpretations.

According To One Of Those Interpretations, Andrew Was Exempt From The Agreement

Judge Kaplan also noted that the agreement said it could not be used "by any other person in any other case."

Giuffre's Lawyer Said Prince Andrew Was Not In The Category Of People Who Were Trafficking

David Boies, Giuffre's lawyer, argued that "potential defendants" had to be people involved in federal sex trafficking, which did not apply to Prince Andrew.

Prince Andrew Then Filed Legal Papers Denying The Allegations Against Him

In an official response to Giuffre's allegations against him, Prince Andrew denied all the charges made against him.

Andrew Issued 41 Denials To All The Allegations Against Him

On 41 separate occasions, Prince Andrew said there was a lack of sufficient evidence to admit or deny the allegations made against him.

Prince Andrew Denied Being A Close Friend Of Maxwell's

In the legal papers, he also said that he was not a close friend of Maxwell as Giuffre had claimed. He also said he was not a frequent guest at Epstein's homes as she had claimed.

Prince Andrew submitted eleven defenses asking for the dismissal of the case.

A Settlement Was Eventually Made

Prince Andrew and Giuffre settled the abuse lawsuit. Andrew had made a significant donation to Giuffre's charity to support victims' rights.

He said his intention was not to attack Giuffre's character. Prince Andrew also took note of the fact that Giuffre had suffered as a victim of abuse.

He also noted that Giuffre had also suffered because of the "unfair public attacks" against her.

For these reasons, he said he would show his regret for his links to Epstein through his support for victims of sex trafficking. Prince Andrew also said he would support fights against sex trafficking.

There's Been Another Development In The Scandal

Right now, the attention is on Bill Gates' relationship with Epstein.

The Interest In Bill Gates And Epstein Started With Melinda Gates' Surprising Revelations

Melinda Opened Up During An Interview With Gayle King

During her interview on CBS Mornings, Melinda talked about how much she disliked Epstein. She also spoke about the impact he had on her marriage to Gates:

"I did not like that he had meetings with Jeffrey Epstein. I made that clear to him."

Melinda Talked About The Time She Met Epstein

Melinda said she was curious to see who "this man was" and "regretted it" as soon as she stepped in the door. Some of the words she used to describe him were "abhorrent, evil personified."

After she met him, she had nightmares.

Melinda said she felt deeply for the young women that suffered in Epstein's hands.

Melinda said Epstein "was awful."

Gates' Friendship With Epstein Was One Of The Reasons Behind Their Divorce

Melinda admitted that Gates' relationship with Epstein was one of the issues that led to their divorce.

"It was not one thing, it was many things [that led to the divorce]. Any of the questions remaining about what Bill's relationship with him was… those are for Bill to answer."

Melinda Cannot Describe Gates As A "Friend"

Melinda said she and Gates were friendly, but she could not call him a friend. She, however, said that they might become friends in the future, but at the time, she was still healing:

"I wish him well. I certainly don't wish him any harm."