The Gates Foundation said an independent external review found no evidence of wrongdoing or criminal activity linked to its past interactions with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, reported Al Jazeera.
The review, carried out by law firm WilmerHale, scrutinised the Gates Foundation's interactions with Epstein between 2011 and 2014.
It found that the organisation's engagement with Epstein was limited to two instances and did not result in any improper payments or unlawful activity.
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According to the report, the first interaction involved a proposed donor-advised fund (DAF) aimed at supporting global public health initiatives.
However, the foundation decided not to proceed after it determined that Epstein had misrepresented the willingness of potential philanthropic partners to contribute.
The issue surfaced during a breakfast meeting in 2014, leading the foundation to abandon the proposal.
The second instance is related to the International Peace Institute (IPI).
Epstein introduced Bill Gates to the organisation in 2012, and after IPI presented its work on polio eradication in 2013, the Gates Foundation approved a grant for the institute.
The review noted that Gates was aware of Epstein's relationship with IPI's president but found no evidence of misconduct in the grant-making process.
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The review, based on interviews with 50 current and former employees, also recommended governance improvements.
The Gates Foundation said it will strengthen due diligence through a more centralised vetting process for donors and partners, enhance conflict-of-interest policies, and improve staff training on handling sensitive information and records.
The findings come days after Warren Buffett announced he would stop donating to the Gates Foundation.
Earlier this year, Bill Gates acknowledged before the US Congress that meeting Epstein had been "a grave error in judgement.”
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