The business mogul has repeatedly denied having any illegal ties to the late child sex offender, but the recently released documents from the Epstein files paint a different picture.

Bill Gates has been accused of being one of the public figures and celebrities who visited Jeffrey Epstein’s island and engaged in sexual activities with trafficked women. His ex-wife, Melinda French Gates, also called for answers.

Bill doubled down on his innocence in a new interview, stressing that he never had an illicit relationship with Epstein. His comments come days after the Department of Justice released documents from the Epstein files that implied the Microsoft co-founder had crossed moral lines.

According to draft emails Epstein addressed to himself, he accused Bill of having transgressions with women. However, the latter denied the claims during an interview with 9 News Australia, a conversation captured on the outlet’s YouTube page.

“Apparently, Jeffrey wrote an email to himself. That email was never sent. The email is false,” Bill declared. He added that he did not know whether Epstein was trying to attack him with false allegations, saying, “Every minute I spent with him, I regret, and I apologize that I did that.”

According to Bill, he met Epstein in 2011 and “only went to dinners” with him until 2014. He claimed their relationship was business-related because the late sex offender knew a lot of wealthy people and had promised to connect them with Bill.

“He was saying he could get them to give money to global health. In retrospect, that was a dead end,” the business mogul explained. Bill doubled down on his regrets, labeling himself “foolish” for ever spending time with Epstein.

Bill also shut down the speculations about his involvement in Epstein’s sex trafficking activities, declaring: “I never went to the island, I never met any women.” He stressed that the time he spent with Epstein “was a mistake,” but “it had nothing to do with that kind of behavior.”

Bill’s interview did not receive positive reactions, as YouTube users called for his incarceration. “Bill Gates needs to be investigated and put in prison,” someone wrote. Another agreed, labeling him “the disease that needs to be eradicated.”

A third mocked Bill’s attempts to clear his name, noting that his “credibility” was not at a standard where his opinion would count. “Bill Gates needs to be locked up. How disgusting they even give him air time, let alone let him in our country,” a fan quipped.

The outrage continued with more YouTube users slamming the news outlet for giving Bill the time of day. These displeased fans argued that Bill was a liar and his words should be taken with a grain of salt. “He infected his own wife with an STD,” someone added.

The fan’s comment about Bill allegedly infecting Melinda with an STD came from the recently released documents from the Epstein files. PEOPLE reported that the draft emails Epstein addressed to himself alleged that Bill had caught an STI from “Russian girls.”

In the email, Epstein claimed Bill had begged him to delete the emails regarding the alleged STD and to give him antibiotics. The drugs, per the document, were to be given to Melinda, who was unaware of her then-husband’s condition.

A spokesperson for Bill vehemently denied the STD claims, declaring that they were “absolutely absurd and completely false.” The rep argued that the emails showed Epstein was desperate for a relationship with the businessman and tried to “entrap and defame” him.

Following the release of the controversial emails, The Blast reported that Melinda had addressed the situation on NPR’s “Wild Card” podcast. She confessed that Bill’s return to the spotlight for alleged crimes brought back memories of their marriage.

Melinda noted that these memories were of “very, very painful times,” but she had moved on and no longer felt responsible for her ex-husband’s actions. On that note, she put Bill on the spot, stressing that he and those named in the Epstein list should clarify their involvement.

“They need to answer to those things, not me,” she stressed, “I am so happy to be away from all the muck that was there.” Although Melinda wished to maintain her distance from the drama, she empathized with Epstein’s victims as a mother, claiming no child deserved to be in that situation.