What sort of goals would make it worthwhile to hang out with a convicted child sex offender if you are a megalomaniac billionaire?  The curious case of the relationship between Jeffrey Epstein and Bill Gates just got curiouser.  Anonymous sources, denials, millions of dollars in donations, and claims of lies surround a 2013 visit of Bill Gates and Jeffrey Epstein to the Strasbourg home of the then-chairman of Norway's Nobel Committee, which awards the Peace Prize.  The visit was uncovered by Norwegian business daily DN, whose sister publication describes in English the visit and its denial:

Former Nobel Committee chair Thorbjørn Jagland denied having met Jeffrey Epstein when asked by the current chairperson. An investigation by Norwegian business newspaper DN reveals Jagland hosted Epstein and Bill Gates in his Strasbourg residence in 2013.

These uncredited photos via the U.K. Daily Mail allegedly show Epstein and Gates together in Strasbourg and reveal that Jagland, a career politician who was at the time serving as secretary general of the Council of Europe as well as chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, lived in a spectacular home in Strasbourg.  While E.U. positions pay very well, and even though he held two jobs, this house looks suspiciously lavish to me:

It might be worth noting that the first Nobel Peace Prize awarded after Jagland assumed the chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee (whose five members are appointed by that nation's parliament, where Jagland has previously served, including as a prime minister) was to Barack Obama — shortly after his inauguration as POTUS, before he had accomplished anything remotely worthy of the honor.

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation representatives adamantly deny that Gates was campaigning to receive the Nobel Peace Prize:

In an email to DailyMail.com on Tuesday morning, a Gates Foundation spokesperson said that Gates never actively pursued a Nobel Peace Prize. 

'While a Nobel Prize would certainly be a great honor, it is false to state that Bill Gates was 'obsessed' with the honor, set it as a goal, or campaigned for it in any way. 

'If Epstein had a plan or motivation to insert himself into any processes related to any awards or honors on behalf of Gates, neither Gates nor anyone he works with was aware of his intentions and they would have rejected any offers for assistance.' 

The spokesperson added: 'Multiple high-profile people suggested that Bill Gates meet with Epstein because he made claims of being able to bring billions of dollars into philanthropy based on his status as an agent and advisor to wealthy individuals with respect to their giving strategies.

'Given the prospect of helping catalyze significant increases in charitable giving, Gates met with Epstein and others multiple times to discuss philanthropy and the work of his foundation. 

'Although Epstein pursued Gates aggressively, Gates had absolutely no business partnership or personal friendship with Epstein. Gates never socialized with Epstein or attended parties with him. 

'It's become clear that Epstein misrepresented the nature of his meetings with Gates while also working to insert himself behind-the-scenes without Gates's knowledge. Bill Gates regrets ever meeting with Epstein and recognizes it was an error in judgement to do so.' 

But others, remaining anonymous, contradict this claim:

A source told The Daily Beast on Monday: 'We were aware of things that were potential reputational risks for the foundation and the co-chairs, Bill and Melinda. 

'Even back then, people knew this guy wasn't squeaky clean,' the person said, referring to Epstein. 

'He thought that Jeffrey would be able to help him, that he would know the right people, or some kind of way to massage things, so he could get the Nobel Peace Prize.

'I think he was ultimately disappointed it didn't work out.' 

Bill Gates's Bond villain–like proposal to block the sun with atmospheric particles is enough to convince me that the man is a megalomaniac.  Even with no factual basis at hand, I would be inclined to believe that a man with everything he wants that money could buy would crave honors like the Peace Prize.

Ever since the pending divorce of Bill and Melinda Gates became public, we have learned surprising and disturbing things about the relationship between Gates and Epstein.  The fact that the relationship began after Epstein's conviction for child sex means that there is no innocent interpretation.  Gates knew about the man he was accompanying to various venues.

DN claims that philanthropy resulted from the 2013 Strasbourg meeting:

The Norwegian Business Daily (DN) has spoken to a number of sources familiar with the meeting in Strasbourg, and has reviewed documentation that ties Epstein to the meeting.

According to the sources, Gates and his assistants were already present when the representatives of IPI arrived. Epstein, who knew Gates, was the person who introduced the billionaire to IPI.

The meeting, in which IPI introduced Gates to a polio eradication project, was to be very fruitful. Later the same year, Gates' foundation granted IPI 2.5 million dollars. Since then, an addition 6 million dollars has followed, according to the foundation. The most recent grant was earlier this year, an additional 250,000 dollars. (snip)

Last fall, DN published a number of articles on the connections between Epstein's Norwegian contacts and IPI. The Norwegian Auditor General has since then opened an investigation into the relationship between the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the think tank. IPI, which has received grants surpassing 130 million Norwegian kroner, has several connections to Epstein.

During the last year, DN has asked Jagland a number of questions regarding his association with Epstein.

"There was no connection, of a financial or any other nature, to the Council of Europe. Any other Norwegian connections, which I understand the article will be about, I have no knowledge of," he wrote in an email November 11, 2019.

After several inquiries this last week regarding new information about the encounter, Jagland confirmed that Gates and Epstein attended an official meeting at his residence in March 2013. According to him, Gates and Epstein arrived together.

The measured pace at which revelations about Bill Gates seem to be appearing, even as divorce lawyers for the couple begin their work, suggests that more news is coming that will cast a pall on the reputation of the plutocrat with delusions of running the world.

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