Melinda French Gates has said she knew Jeffrey Epstein was “evil” from the moment she met him, describing the convicted paedophile as so repugnant that she suffered nightmares after encountering him.

In an interview with The Guardian, the philanthropist and former wife of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates said women should trust their instincts when confronted by dangerous individuals.

“Have you ever in your life been around somebody that you just know is evil?” French Gates, 60, said.

She added: “Any woman who has ever been around somebody who is evil or had an experience and then if you’re around somebody else who is evil. Just no, no.”

During the interview, French Gates appeared to suffer a panic attack when asked about Epstein. The exchange wasn’t described in detail, but the Guardian reported she became visibly distressed.

“What I know is that bad things happen in darkness. We need to have more transparency.”

French Gates, whose net worth is estimated at $US30 billion ($42 billion), was mentioned multiple times in the Epstein files. In one email, Epstein wrote to Gates: “You have told me that Melinda insists on me ignoring our friendship, not even communicating with you.”

The 27-year marriage of Bill and Melinda Gates ended in 2021, a split she later said was partly fuelled by revelations about his friendship with Epstein.

On Wednesday, Bill Gates appeared before the House oversight committee in the US Congress, which has launched an investigation into the Epstein files. In a prepared statement, Gates claimed Epstein used knowledge of his extra-marital affairs as “leverage” against him.

“I learnt Epstein had become aware of sensitive information about my personal life, including the fact that I had been unfaithful in my marriage,” Gates said. “These affairs had nothing to do with my interactions with Epstein, but they were painful for my family.”

Gates admitted in February to having had affairs with two Russian women, who he claimed weren’t victims of Epstein.

His close relationship with the registered sex offender was revealed in December after the US Department of Justice began publishing the files. A full transcript of Gates’ testimony is expected to be published later this month.

When asked why Epstein got away with his activities for so long, French Gates was blunt.

“The justice system didn’t do its job. It did not do its job. Full stop. This could have been stopped,” she told The Guardian.

“And so again, I think that’s why, finally, we are having a reckoning in society. If we don’t want children to be harmed, the justice system has to work.”

Epstein died by suicide in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. He had previously been convicted in 2008 of soliciting a minor for prostitution in Florida, receiving a lenient plea deal that has been widely criticised.

National Sexual Assault, Family & Domestic Violence Counselling Line: 1800 737 732. Crisis support can be found at Lifeline: 13 11 14