BBC reported today: "Bill Gates expressed regret for the time he spent with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The co-founder of Microsoft was interviewed by Nine Network in Australia, where he stated that he had never 'seen any women' and 'hadn't gone to that island'."
The U.S. government recently released millions of new investigative documents about Epstein, including emails reportedly linked to Bill Gates. It is currently unclear whether these emails are genuine or were actually sent. Being mentioned or appearing in these documents does not imply any misconduct. Many people previously identified have denied any improper behavior.
Comments: This public statement by Bill Gates aims to cut ties and reduce risks: on one hand, expressing regret for his association with Epstein, and on the other hand, using specific statements like "I haven't seen any improper behavior" and "I haven't gone to the island," to try to distance himself from the core scandal of sexual crimes. Essentially, it's a crisis management move to minimize public opinion and reputation impact.
Overall, the continuous release of Epstein's files is increasingly dragging more Western political and business celebrities into the public controversy. Even if the parties involved deny it and the media present it neutrally, the mere association has already caused reputational damage, once again exposing the gray areas and moral risks within the social, capital, and power networks of Western elites.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1856347286691847/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author themselves.