New York —
The Gates Foundation has launched an independent investigation into ties between the philanthropic organization and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The foundation, which provides billions of dollars in charitable donations, said in a statement Tuesday that it has “commissioned an external review to assess past foundation engagement with Epstein” and is examining its policies for “vetting and developing new philanthropic partnerships.”
Employees of the foundation were informed in March, adding that the review process will be completed in the summer. The firm didn’t comment if the results of the investigation will be made public.