An external reviewer found no errors in the Gates Foundation-Epstein | link Philanthropy News

The report shows the cooperation of the Gates Foundation with the US criminal Jeffrey Epstein on the fund and aid, but denies wrongdoing.

The Gates Foundation has found no evidence that the organization paid for or participated in any of the crimes committed by US criminal Jeffrey Epstein, according to an external review.

The philanthropic organization released its findings Tuesday following a months-long external audit conducted by law firm WilmerHale.

The report, commissioned by a US-based organization in March, found that the Gates Foundation was working with a late lender on two different occasions between 2011 and 2014. The first was with a donor-advised fund (DAF) to support international public health projects.

The report, which included interviews with 50 current and former employees, found that the Gates Foundation did not follow through on the money after Epstein was unable to meet the demands of other philanthropic partners. The report said that this was evident at the 2014 breakfast meeting.

“Epstein misrepresented donors’ ability and willingness to commit to the DAF,” the report said.

The report said the second incident involved the International Peace Institute (IPI). Epstein introduced chairman Bill Gates to IPI in 2012. In 2013, after IPI presented Gates with a presentation on the polio eradication campaign, the Gates Foundation gave IPI a grant. The report stated that Gates was aware of Epstein’s relationship with the President of IPI.

As part of the review, the Gates Foundation also introduced a new security measure. Among them is a central process for screening potential donors and partners. It said it would “expand its policies” regarding potential conflicts but did not specify what the changes would be. The agency also said it would support training on information and records management.

The results come a week after Berkshire Hathaway chairman Warren Buffett said he would end charitable giving. Buffett has donated more than $47bn of Berkshire’s wealth to the Gates Foundation since 2006.

Before the US Congress Housing Committee in June, Gates spoke with Epstein and said he made a “big mistake” in meeting with the financier late.