The Gates Foundation is planning to reduce its workforce by about 20 percent of its total staff while simultaneously commissioning an outside review of Bill Gates’ connections to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The Wall Street Journal reports that an internal email sent to employees reveals that the philanthropic organization is undertaking significant organizational changes amid ongoing controversy surrounding Chairman Bill Gates’s association with Epstein. The foundation has faced sustained scrutiny since details of Gates’s relationship with the disgraced financier became public.

Mark Suzman, CEO of the Gates Foundation, disclosed in a Tuesday memo that he had commissioned an external examination of the foundation’s engagement with Epstein, as well as a review of policies governing how new philanthropic partnerships are vetted and developed. Suzman stated in the communication, “This is a challenging time for our organization in many ways, but it also highlights the critical importance of taking the tough actions now.” The Journal reported that an update on this review is anticipated during the summer months.

The foundation’s troubles intensified in January when the Justice Department released emails showing correspondence between Epstein and staff members at the organization. These DOJ documents additionally contained photographs showing Bill Gates alongside Epstein, as well as images of Gates with women whose faces had been redacted.

In February, the foundation issued a statement asserting that it had never made financial payments to Epstein nor employed him in any capacity. The organization also expressed regret that any of its employees had interacted with him. During a town hall meeting with foundation staff that same month, a spokesperson told Reuters that Gates “took responsibility for his actions” concerning his ties to Epstein. (Read more from “Gates Foundation Cuts 20% of Staff, Launches External Review of Bill Gates’ Ties to Jeffrey Epstein” HERE)