Photo Credit; Getty Images
Bill Gates acknowledged this week that he had two affairs with Russian women during his marriage to Melinda French Gates and addressed his past association with Jeffrey Epstein during a town hall meeting with employees of the Gates Foundation. He apologized to staff for the controversy surrounding his connection to the disgraced financier while insisting he was not involved in any illegal activity.
According to a recording reviewed by The Wall Street Journal, Gates told employees at the Feb. 24 meeting that he "did nothing illicit" and saw nothing illegal during his interactions with Epstein. A spokesperson for Gates said the event was a regularly scheduled town hall where he answered questions submitted by foundation staff. Topics included the release of Epstein related documents, the foundation's work in artificial intelligence, and the future of global health. The spokesperson added that Gates spoke openly and took responsibility for his past actions.
Public scrutiny intensified after the U.S. Justice Department released documents containing draft emails written by Epstein. In those drafts, Epstein claimed Gates had contracted a sexually transmitted infection from "Russian girls" and sought his help to conceal it from his wife. A representative for Gates previously dismissed those allegations as false. During the town hall, Gates confirmed he had affairs with a Russian bridge player he met at tournaments and a Russian nuclear physicist he encountered through business connections. He said Epstein later became aware of those relationships.
Gates reiterated that he never spent time with Epstein's victims and described his decision to associate with Epstein after their first meeting in 2011 as a significant mistake. Their contact continued until 2014, but Gates said he never stayed overnight with Epstein or visited his private island. He expressed regret to anyone affected by his decision to engage with Epstein.
Gates has said in the past that he initially met Epstein in hopes of securing philanthropic donations for global health efforts, calling that pursuit misguided in hindsight. He
admitted he did not fully investigate Epstein's background at the time and now recognizes the severity of his crimes.
During the meeting, Gates credited his former wife, who divorced him in 2021, for being skeptical of Epstein. He acknowledged that the renewed attention has negatively affected the foundation's reputation, emphasizing that its mission depends heavily on public trust and credibility.
