Billionaire Bill Gates downplayed his connection to Jeffrey Epstein when he claimed he had no business or personal relationship with the pedophile financier, and in fact met Epstein at least three times at his Upper East Side mansion, the New York Times reported Saturday.

Citing uncovered e-mails plus interviews with more than a dozen people, the paper reported that the Microsoft cofounder and Epstein first met in January 2011, years after Epstein pleaded guilty in Florida to soliciting an underage prostitute.

Following the first meeting, Gates wrote in an e-mail to colleagues that Esptein’s “lifestyle is very different and kind of intriguing although it would not work for me.”

Bridgitt Arnold, a spokeswoman for Gates, told The Times the pair met several times, but only to discuss philanthropy.

“Bill Gates regrets ever meeting with Epstein and recognizes it was an error in judgment to do so,” Arnold said. “Gates recognizes that entertaining Epstein’s ideas related to philanthropy gave Epstein an undeserved platform that was at odds with Gates’ personal values and the values of his foundation.”