Melinda French Gates has spoken publicly about the renewed attention surrounding her former husband, Bill Gates, after his name appeared in newly released documents linked to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, saying the disclosures reopened “very painful times” from their marriage.

In an interview on NPR’s Wild Card podcast, the billionaire philanthropist said the latest revelations filled her with “unbelievable sadness” and brought back memories she would rather leave behind. She stressed that she is relieved to be removed from the situation, adding that any unresolved questions raised by the documents must be addressed by those named in them, including her ex-husband. “They need to answer to those things, not me,” she said. Melinda French Gates and Bill Gates divorced in 2021 after 27 years of marriage.

Her comments followed the release last week of more than three million pages of materials by the US Department of Justice related to Epstein’s network and contacts. Among the documents are draft emails from 2013 stored in Epstein’s email account, which include allegations about Bill Gates, including claims related to a sexually transmitted infection. Gates’s spokesperson has rejected those claims outright, calling them “absolutely absurd and completely false.”

Bill Gates has not been accused of any criminal wrongdoing by Epstein’s victims, and his appearance in the files does not imply illegal conduct. In response to the document release, Gates addressed the matter in an interview with Australia’s Nine News, saying his interactions with Epstein were limited to a small number of dinners and insisting he never visited Epstein’s private island. He said one of the controversial emails was never sent and described its contents as false. Gates added that he regrets ever spending time with Epstein and apologized for having done so.

The disputed emails appear to have been written by Epstein himself and saved as drafts, with no indication they were sent or received by Gates. Written in an informal and at times rambling style, they refer to strained relations between Gates and his then-wife, alleged efforts to conceal an infection, and failed business or philanthropic ventures. Gates’s representatives have said the documents only reflect Epstein’s anger over losing access to Gates and his attempts to damage the Microsoft co-founder’s reputation.

Melinda French Gates also acknowledged that concerns about her former husband’s association with Epstein had troubled her before their separation. After the divorce was announced, Bill Gates publicly admitted to having had an affair with a Microsoft employee in 2019. Speaking on the podcast, Melinda French Gates said revisiting these issues was personally difficult but emphasized that her focus now is on the victims of Epstein’s abuse.

She described the experiences of the girls and young women exploited by Epstein as devastating and said that, while she has been able to move forward with her life, she hopes those who were harmed will ultimately see justice. Epstein died in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges, leaving many questions about his network and enablers unresolved.