Bill Gates acknowledged during a staff town hall at the Gates Foundation that he had past relationships with two Russian women. According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, Gates addressed the matter directly with employees and emphasized that the relationships were not connected to the criminal activities of Jeffrey Epstein. He described his prior association with Epstein as a significant error in judgment and apologized to those affected by the controversy.
During the meeting, Gates said he had engaged in consensual affairs, including one with a Russian bridge player and another with a Russian nuclear physicist. He stated that he had not engaged in any illegal conduct and said he never witnessed inappropriate behavior involving Epstein. Gates also clarified that he did not spend time with any of Epstein’s victims.
Previously released U.S. Department of Justice materials show that Gates met with Epstein several times after Epstein’s 2008 conviction related to soliciting a minor. The meetings were described as focused on philanthropic discussions. Gates said his interactions with Epstein began in 2011 and continued until 2014, including travel on Epstein’s private jet, though he stated he never stayed overnight at Epstein’s properties or visited his private island.
Gates acknowledged that, in hindsight, maintaining contact with Epstein was a mistake. He told employees that knowing more about Epstein’s actions later made the association “a hundred times worse.” He also noted that his former wife, Melinda French Gates, had expressed skepticism about Epstein during their marriage. The couple divorced in 2021 after 27 years together.
A spokesperson for the Gates Foundation confirmed the town hall occurred and said Gates answered questions candidly while taking responsibility for his decisions. The foundation has previously stated that it never employed Epstein and made no payments to him. Founded in 2000, the organization remains one of the world’s largest philanthropic institutions, focusing primarily on global health and development initiatives