Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is once again facing scrutiny, this time acknowledging extramarital affairs during his marriage and apologizing to staff at the Gates Foundation for his past association with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein — while firmly denying any criminal wrongdoing.
According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, Gates addressed employees during a town hall call on Tuesday, following renewed attention after his name appeared in emails released by the Justice Department in January. The emails were linked to Epstein, who had previously been convicted in Florida for procuring a child for prostitution.
One of the emails, dated July 2013 and written by Epstein about Gates, alleged that the billionaire attempted to conceal from his then-wife, Melinda French Gates, a sexually transmitted disease he supposedly contracted after having sex with “Russian girls.” The email further claimed that Gates sought antibiotics to secretly give to her. It remains unclear whether that email was ever sent directly to Gates. Through a spokesperson in late January, Gates denied the specific allegation, calling it “completely false.”
However, during Tuesday’s call with foundation staff, Gates did acknowledge that he had engaged in extramarital relationships during his 27-year marriage. He confirmed two affairs involving Russian women.
“I did have affairs, one with a Russian bridge player who met me at bridge events, and one with a Russian nuclear physicist who I met through business activities,” Gates said, according to the Journal’s report.
The admission marks a significant personal acknowledgment from the billionaire philanthropist, whose divorce from Melinda French Gates was finalized in 2021 after nearly three decades of marriage.
In addition to addressing his personal conduct, Gates also spoke about his relationship with Epstein, which has been a source of controversy for years. He acknowledged flying on a private plane with Epstein and spending time with him both in the United States and abroad. Still, Gates maintained that he did not witness or engage in any illegal activity during those interactions.
“I did nothing illicit. I saw nothing illicit,” Gates reportedly told staff. “To be clear, I never spent any time with the victims, the women around him.”
Gates said he first met Epstein in 2011, several years after Epstein’s Florida conviction. Despite that prior conviction, Gates continued to socialize with him, even as his then-wife expressed concerns.
“To give her credit, she was always kind of skeptical about the Epstein thing,” Gates said, acknowledging that Melinda French Gates had reservations about the relationship.
In his remarks, Gates appeared to recognize the reputational damage his association with Epstein has caused — not only to himself but also to the Gates Foundation, one of the world’s largest philanthropic organizations.
“I apologize to other people who are drawn into this because of the mistake I made,” he said. “It definitely is the opposite of the values of the Foundation and the goals of the Foundation.”
While Gates has denied any criminal conduct and rejected specific allegations tied to Epstein’s emails, his public acknowledgment of personal failings and controversial associations is likely to keep questions swirling. For now, he insists that whatever mistakes he made were personal in nature — and not criminal — even as the fallout continues to reverberate.
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