Bill Gates pulled out of a scheduled keynote address Thursday at India’s AI Impact Summit in New Delhi as scrutiny intensified over his prior ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation said in a statement that Gates stepped aside “after careful consideration and to ensure the focus remained on the AI Summit’s key priorities.” Ankur Vora, president of the foundation’s Africa and India offices, represented the organization at the event, which brings together global technology executives and policymakers to discuss artificial intelligence policy, public health, and development.

Gates’ withdrawal followed a late-January release of additional Epstein-related materials by the Justice Department under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, signed into law in November 2025. The measure requires the attorney general to publish department records connected to Epstein, with certain redactions to protect survivors’ identities.

Among the newly released documents were emails from 2013 in which Epstein referenced Gates and made allegations that Gates has denied. A spokesperson for Gates described the claims as “absolutely absurd and completely false,” characterizing the messages as efforts by Epstein to entrap and defame him after their relationship ended.

Gates has previously acknowledged meeting with Epstein and has publicly said the association was a mistake. In a recent interview with Australia’s 9News, he said he was “foolish” to spend time with Epstein and added, “Every minute I spent with him, I regret.”

The renewed attention has also reached Capitol Hill. James Comer, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said his panel is seeking additional information related to Epstein and signaled a subpoena could follow if Gates does not cooperate.

Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to prostitution-related charges involving a minor and later faced federal sex trafficking charges in 2019 before dying in a New York jail while awaiting trial.

Despite the controversy, the Gates Foundation said it remains committed to its health and development initiatives in India, including longstanding work supporting public health systems and disease prevention efforts.