EPSTEIN NEWS IN A NUTSHELL: Bill Gates alleges blackmail, key Epstein accuser scuffles with police, and Trump's ex-lawyer to testify

The witch hunts and confused maelstrom of allegations continue.

Testimonies, lawsuits and blackmail - it’s been another busy week as the Epstein scandal continues to rage on, engulfing some of the most influential figures of our time.

Good morning/afternoon/evening to you all, depending on where you are in the world. This week I’ve been editing, resting my leg (the hamstring injury, and my stereotypically male habit of milking any injury or illness as much as humanly possible, is now much better), interviewing more witnesses in the Epstein scandal, being thankful for a brief yet anxious few days without large Russian missile attacks here in Kyiv, and typing up my findings about the identity of a woman whom Epstein roleplayed Nabokov’s Lolita with.

Regarding developments in the never-ending guilt by association-focused witch hunt, this week has been no less eventful than the last. So, let’s dive straight in and take a look at some of the headlines, injecting a little context into the chaos along the way.

Billionaire Bill Gates testified in a closed-door hearing on Wednesday, the latest high profile former associate of Epstein to be ‘summoned’ by the House Oversight Committee.

In his opening statement, Gates alleged that Epstein blackmailed him, sayinng that Epstein exploited his knowledge of Gates’ extramarital affairs with two Russian women “to pressure me to re-engage with him” (Gates had begun to sever ties with Epstein after he allegedly failed to support some of Gates’ initiatives).

The Microsoft co-founder stated his association with Epstein was transactional and focused on fundraising for global health, calling the meetings a "grave error in judgment".

It’s true that Epstein coveted scientists and famous businessmen, even funding research projects. But the reasons for doing so weren’t entirely academic. Yes, he actively sought out such connections to feed his own genuine curiosities over topics such as genetics and transhumanism - but he also cultivated a roladex of brainiacs because he 1. Liked to feel important. 2. He liked to be considered an intellectual and to be seen to be surrounded by some of the world’s greatest mind. In reality, although he was undoubtedly very talented in some areas, particularly mathematics, when it came to science, once of his former scientist pals bluntly stated that Epstein “didn’t know what he was talking about”.

It’s important to note that none of Epstein’s accusers/former sexual partners have ever accused Gates of inappropriate or illegal behaviour.

In the Epstein files, however, Epstein wrote bizarre emails to himself (sometimes pretending to be Gates’ former advisor, Boris Nikolic), in which he alleged that Gates had contracted a sexually transmitted disease following “sex with Russian girls” and that he had asked for antibiotics to "surreptitiously give" to his then wife Melinda French Gates.

“In my role as his right hand I had been asked on mulitple occassion [sic] and in hindsight, wrongly acquiesced into participating in things that have ranged from the morally inappropriate, to the ethically unsound and had been repeatedly asked to do other things that get near and potentially over the line into the illegal,” Epstein wrote as Nikolic, presumably in the hope that he could get Nikolic to release the statement himself if needed, as part of a blackmailing scheme.

Across the documents, Epstein portrays himself as holding compromising material and hints at using it as leverage, particularly in the event of a public divorce that could harm Gates’ philanthropic image.

“I am concerned that if Melinda decides as you said to file for a public divorce, the damage done to the pledge program alone would result in billions of dollars of money no longer being used for social good as Im [sic] sure that some wives and husbands would feel free to retreat from their commitments,” he wrote.

The same email alleges that Gates “begged him” to delete emails regarding “your STD, your request that I provide you antibiotics that you can surreptitiously give to Melinda, and the description of your penis.”

Melinda Gates filed for divorce after learning of her husband’s infidelities.

Responding to the release of the emails, a spokesperson for Gates said that the claims were “absolutely absurd and completely false. The only thing these documents demonstrate is Epstein’s frustration that he did not have an ongoing relationship with Gates and the lengths he would go to entrap and defame.”

As we saw with the testimony of Sarah Kellen last week, it’s likely that we’ll have to wait at least a few days before the full transcript of his testimony is released - but his opening statement reads as follows:

Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member, Members of the Committee—

Thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today.

I am here to answer your questions about my interactions with Jeffrey Epstein and to help contribute to the Committee’s important work. I support the release of all the Epstein files and sincerely hope that, through your efforts and those of others advocating on their behalf, the survivors of Epstein’s crimes can get the justice that they deserve.

At the outset, I want to state very clearly: I never witnessed nor had any indication that Epstein was engaged in ongoing criminal conduct. I never went to his island, his ranch, or his Florida home. I have never victimized anyone. While he may have sought to foster a personal relationship, I was never interested in that and never reciprocated.

I was introduced to Epstein in 2011 through people I trusted in my professional and philanthropic work. Epstein claimed he could raise billions of dollars for global health from people for whom he provided tax and estate services. I recall being aware that Epstein had faced prior legal issues, but I did not fully understand the extent of the crimes he committed. I accepted the introduction without applying the scrutiny I should have.

For almost two decades, my full-time focus has been global health and education. I have been guided by the belief that all lives have equal value, and that every child should have the chance to live a healthy life, no matter where they were born. I have committed my resources and my time to this effort, but my wealth alone cannot fill the enormous funding gap that remains. This is why trying to encourage others of significant means to invest in global health has become such an important element of my work.

My interactions with Epstein began with a limited number of preliminary meetings—three in 2011 and two in 2012—during which I talked about the goals of my work. We began more extensive conversations in 2013 and 2014. The discussions focused on identifying potential giving structures, such as donor-advised funds, and how to enroll individuals he claimed were interested in making significant contributions. I made it clear to Epstein from the outset that he would never play a role in any of the work or receive any compensation.

In 2014, after Epstein brought together a group he described as potential donors, I realized that our prior discussions—which should have translated into meaningful philanthropic support—were a dead-end. It was clear that no one in the group was interested enough to move forward. At that point, I concluded Epstein would never deliver on his promises. I told him we would go no further and stopped communicating or meeting with him. No vehicle for charitable giving was ever created and no funds were raised. Our interactions ended in December 2014, four years before new reports in the press and unsealed court documents shed light on the extent of his crimes.

It was during the same time period that an employee was in the process of transitioning out of my private office. This employee engaged Epstein to negotiate and advise him on the terms of the separation. I did not ask—nor did I want or need—Epstein to be involved in this matter. His involvement resulted in email exchanges, calls, and meetings with members of my team and me. However, the agreement we ultimately reached was not any different from what was previously agreed upon months in advance of Epstein inserting himself.

It was after this that I learned Epstein had become aware of sensitive information about my personal life, including the fact that I had been unfaithful in my marriage. These affairs had nothing to do with my interactions with Epstein, but they were painful for my family. As the public can now see, based on what has been released in the files, Epstein was working to use information about my infidelities—in addition to many lies that he layered on top—to pressure me to re-engage with him. He was unsuccessful in this effort, but it shows some of the ways he tried to leverage his interactions with me to further his agenda.

I should never have met with Epstein in the first place. Based on what I know now, I understand that even if he had delivered the new donors he promised, it would not have justified associating with him.

Gates with an adult female. This photograph was released in the Epstein Files and is believed to show one of the Russian women with whom he engaged in an affair.

I see now that he sought to build an image of legitimacy around himself, using connections to reputable and powerful people to deflect scrutiny and attempt to rehabilitate his reputation. I was so focused on the possibility of raising funds for global health that I allowed that goal to override my better judgment. That is a sobering realization, and it has reinforced for me the importance of being more attentive to how access and reputation can be manipulated by people acting in bad faith.

In the work I do, reputation is the basis for developing partnerships that save lives. Meeting with Epstein was a grave error in judgement and put this work at risk. His behavior was antithetical to all my efforts to contribute to a world where everyone has a chance to live a healthy and productive life. If the time I spent with Epstein lent him any credibility, I am deeply sorry. I have learned a significant lesson and am now far more careful about who I engage with even in a limited capacity.

I look forward to answering all your questions about my interactions with Epstein—and the topics identified in the Chairman’s invitation to appear today.

This Committee’s work is essential. It is my sincere hope that those harmed by Epstein’s crimes will receive the justice they deserve.

Giuffre’s brothers continue to formally request a public coronial inquest into the death of their sister and a comprehensive review of the Western Australia Police's actions in the run-up to her suicide. They argue that local authorities failed to adequately protect her or properly investigate her reports of domestic violence and assault in the months leading up to her death.

This week, 16 Australian researchers and domestic violence practitioners wrote an open letter to the Western Australia Coroner, warning that failing to investigate the systemic failures preceding her death would be a "profound injustice". They assert that her case highlights wider systemic issues regarding family violence and coercive control.

The push for an inquiry is completely understandable, and much needed. However, it will likely fail to acknowledge that Giuffre’s false allegations being exposed, her children being removed from her custody, and the pressure from the lawsuit brought against her by fellow Epstein accuser Rina Oh (after Giuffre falsely claimed that Oh had assaulted her) were likely significant factors in her making the tragic decision to take her own life.

It’s probable that one of the motivations behind her brothers calling for an inquiry - to help with their ongoing legal attempts to bag themselves a large chunk of her fortune - will also be completely ignored.

Epstein’s ex-assistant, Sarah Kellen, is attempting to reinvent her public image and rewrite her role in the Epstein’s saga… and the media are already helping her.

It’s remarkable how powerful the Metoo mantra, 'believe all women,' is. For over a decade, and right up to last week, journalists always referred to Epstein's assistant, Sarah Kellen, as a co-conspirator.

They were wrong, of course. Kellen is in fact documented in police reports as having checked that women visiting Epstein to provide sexual services were over 18 - you can listen to my report on her involvement in Epstein’s first arrest by clicking my podcast episode below.

Regardless, newspapers and media outlets from publishing headline after headline of how she organised his massages, recruited women, wrote him loving emails and clearly said she enjoyed her time with him.

But then an intense amount of pressure was placed on her, not just by the public, but by the press, potential prosecutors, and politicians. Inevitably, she was forced to testify after receiving a letter demanding her appearance in front of the House Committee.

At this point, she could have just told the full truth about the first arrest, about how the Epstein scandal has been exaggerated and misrepresented. But instead, she changed her story. She said that the consensual sex was actually abuse. She said (without a shred of evidence) that she was not a co-conspirator, but a victim. She also gave journalists their next sensationalised headline, stating to those grilling her that she once had dinner in the apartment of a man whom the media love to hate: Prince Andrew.

Kellen with Epstein

I’ve got more to reveal about this, including the inside PR campaign carried out by her lawyers and advisors, and also the truth about her relationship with Epstein, but will save that for an article coming out on here next week.

Either way, voila! She was instantly believed. Her past was, overnight, rewritten. The headlines and thousands of articles were swept under the rug; and she was transformed from hunted co-conspirator to abuse survivor, from villain to victim, quite literally in the blink of an eye.

Her reinvented image follows her recent divorce and her losing the ability to rely on the cash of her rich and famous racing car driver husband. It also comes just in time for her to be represented by one of the 'survivor' lawyers, Bradley Edwards; for her to go through therapy sessions with the same psychiatrist Edwards and co have chosen to ‘help’ his other Epstein-accusing clients (some of whom, along with Kellen, have publicly stated that this same psychiatrist ‘helped’ them to realise they are ‘victims’); and just in time to potentially exploit the media hype and misrepresentation of the Epstein scandal to join the multi-million-dollar lawsuits.

Shrewd move.

Prominent Epstein accuser Sarah Ransome, whom many of you will likely have seen on Netflix’s fiction-riddled true documentary series, Epstein: Filthy Rich, has been making further unhinged threats and demands for money.

After blowing over a million dollars of settlement payments, Ransome has embarked on an endless rampage of harassment, death threats, and even threats to harm children.

Last year I met Ransome in Amsterdam to interview her for my book, Naked Lies. Since then, she has placed me on the list of her targets, oddly alleging that I am working as a spy, and asking people to have me killed. You can read my article documenting her antisemitism, death threats and threats against the children of Virginia Giuffre’s brother, by clicking the link below.

This week, Ransome attended a local police station. During her time there, she alleges that she was led into an interview room (the Dutch police have an open investigation against her - I’ll be providing an update on that later this month). Inside, she decided that she did not want a particular police officer to be present, becoming angry and aggressive when she did not get her way.

Ransome recorded the below video inside the interview room. It has not been released publicly until now.

After leaving the interview room, she alleged that she was “thrown to the ground” by police officers, and has now threatened the Prime Minister of the Netherlands while demanding that she be sent tens of thousands of pounds.

To date, officials have failed to provide Ransome with the mental health services she evidently requires, and Dutch police have failed to act on calls from multiple individuals to protect those whom she daily threatens, and to protect her from herself.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer announced that he intends to invite Professor Alan Dershowitz, who previously served as Jeffrey Epstein’s attorney as well as President Trump, to testify.

“I am going to ask Alan Dershowitz to come in, we will have questions for him and we will give him an opportunity to come in,” Comer said on Wednesday morning, adding that the decision was based on the testimony of Lesley Groff, Epstein’s longtime assistant, who testified before the committee on Tuesday, as well as “a meeting that I had afterwards with several of the Epstein survivors”.

I’ve been told by an inside source that the meeting was arranged by Bradley Edwards and David Boies, both of whom have admitted to be working alongside House Democrats ‘pro-bono’ in relation to the Epstein case (Democrats can use them to help smear Donald Trump, and Boies and co can use the Democrats to carry out depositions of their targets while aiding, via subsequent press headlines, to place pressure on the defendants of their ongoing multi-million-dollar lawsuits).

The committee has not yet made public a transcript of Groff’s appearance. In her opening remarks, she told lawmakers that she was unaware of Epstein’s criminal conduct during the years she worked for him. She also characterized him as a “master manipulator and deceiver”.

Personally, I think that Professor Dershowitz will relish the chance to get the truth out. Falsely accused by Virginia Giuffre (Giuffre later issued a public statement admitting that she was mistaken), he has never been frightened to fiercely defend himself, and when it comes to exposing false accusers in the Epstein scandal, he always brings receipts.

You can watch one of my past interviews with Professor Dershowitz by clicking on the above video.

Former Correctional Officer, Tova Noel, was on duty at the Metropolitan Correctional Centre in Lower Manhattan from 4 p.m. on August 9th, 2019, until 8 a.m. the next day, when Epstein was found unresponsive in his cell.

Since that day, she has been the focus of many a suspicion and conspiracy theory. Now the transcript of her testimony was finally released.

“I have consistently been the subject of threats to my life, conspiracy theories, and outrageous rumours, impacting my mental and physical health,” she said in her testimony earlier this week. “I have received threats from strangers. I have witnessed strangers pontificate about whether I’m a murderer or that I’ll end up dead. I am consistently harassed at my residence, place of employment, in emails, and on the phone. Every few weeks, there’s a new article based on a new theory with little to no factual basis.”

“The failure to execute my duties and responsibilities properly and the submission of inaccurate documentation were not related to Mr. Epstein or his death in any way. The inaccurate documentation were executed at the beginning of each shift and were not done to cover up my conduct or the conduct of my colleague,” she told the committee.

“My inadequate job performance was due to my inexperience, inadequate training, and being overworked,” Noel said, adding that she earned her full base salary in approximately six months because of the amount of overtime she had to work due to understaffing issues.

“The only connection I have to the death of Mr. Epstein is that I happened to be mandated for overtime when he died,” she said.

Noel also confirmed that, contrary to widespread speculation, she was not the ‘orange-clad figure’ seen appearing to enter Epstein’s cell on the night before he died (Epstein’s brother, Mark, believes that he was in fact murdered and that the murder took place on the night when this blurry figure arrived in his cell - you can listen to my shocking interview with him below).

That’s all for this week. But in case you missed them, the two articles below are some of the highlights from my Substack over the past few days: Epstein accuser Rina exposed the truth about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s accuser, Virginia Giuffre; and I did a deep dive into Epstein’s untold origin story.

Coming up on my Substack next week:

• My interview with a man, named in the Epstein Files, whose girlfriend was groomed and recruited by Giuffre when she was just 15 and Giuffre was a legal adult.

• The full, exclusive witness statement written and signed by the mother of one of Giuffre’s victims. This statement has since been included in Ghislaine Maxwell’s habeas petition (under seal), but I’d like to finally make it public.

• War diary: An account of all the developments here in Ukraine, including my interviews with survivors of Russian attacks.

• Breaking news/updates on the Epstein scandal.

• The Cult of Skeletons: An analysis of the evidence in the mysterious case of two religious leaders who brainwashed their followers into starving themselves to death, before disappearing with their money.

• Unsolved Mysteries Revisited: For a bit of fun, I’ll be watching one episode of the old, cult classic TV show ‘Unsolved Mysteries’ and giving some additional insight and case updates.

• Epstein News in a Nutshell: My weekly round-up and analysis of the latest developments and gossip relating to the Epstein case.

• I’ll also be revealing the name and story of ‘Epstein’s Lolita’, a woman whom he role-played Nabokov’s infamous novel with.

All of my articles and exclusive interviews (with the exception of my weekly newsletter) are available to members/paid subscribers only. To gain full access so that you don’t miss out on what the media are hiding from you, please consider clicking and subscribing below for just a few dollars/pounds a month.

Thanks for your support - I hope you all have a great weekend!