Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft and a renowned philanthropist, addressed employees of his foundation to discuss his ties with Jeffrey Epstein. During an internal meeting, he admitted that maintaining contact with the convicted sex offender was a "huge mistake," for which he took full responsibility. The billionaire also revealed details about his two extramarital affairs with Russian women, while simultaneously denying any involvement in the financier's illegal activities.

Admission of Mistake

Bill Gates publicly acknowledged his acquaintance with Jeffrey Epstein as his biggest life mistake and apologized to the foundation's employees.

Affairs with Russian Women

The billionaire confirmed two extramarital affairs with a Russian bridge player and a nuclear physicist, which Epstein was aware of.

Denial of Crimes

Gates firmly distanced himself from Epstein's criminal activities, claiming he did not witness any illegal behavior.

Background from Epstein's Emails

Disclosed documents suggest Epstein may have attempted to blackmail Gates using knowledge of his private life.

During a closed 'town hall' meeting held on February 24, 2026, Bill Gates decided to make candid confessions before the staff of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The billionaire referred to the recent disclosure of files by the U.S. Department of Justice, in which his name repeatedly appeared in the context of his relationship with the deceased financier Jeffrey Epstein. Gates admitted that spending time with Epstein and introducing foundation leadership to his social circle was a serious mistake that negatively impacted the organization's reputation. He emphasized that his involvement in these relationships began in 2011, after Epstein had already been convicted of sex crimes in Florida, which is now the main point of public criticism. During his address, Gates revealed two extramarital affairs with Russian women: one of them was Mila Antonova, a professional bridge player, and the other an unnamed nuclear physicist. The billionaire, however, categorically denied that these women belonged to the group of individuals exploited by Epstein. He also assured that he never participated in activities on the financier's private island nor witnessed any illegal acts. Regarding joint photos found in the files, he explained they were taken at Epstein's request. The thread of affairs with Russian women is significant because, according to reports from "The Wall Street Journal," Epstein may have used knowledge of them to blackmail Gates in the mid-2010s. Bill Gates's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein has been the subject of speculation for years, and its disclosure in 2019 was one of the factors that led to the billionaire's divorce from Melinda French Gates in 2021 after 27 years of marriage. The billionaire apologized to everyone who was drawn into this matter by his erroneous decisions. He also mentioned that his ex-wife, Melinda, was skeptical from the start about the proposal to cooperate with Epstein. Although Gates has not faced any formal criminal charges, his public admission of guilt before employees aims to clear the atmosphere within the foundation and distance it from the controversial past. The meeting also covered other topics, including the future of global health and the development of artificial intelligence, but personal issues dominated the media coverage. „Spędzanie czasu z Epsteinem było ogromnym błędem. Przepraszam innych, którzy zostali w to wciągnięci przez błąd, który popełniłem.” (Spending time with Epstein was a huge mistake. I apologize to others who were drawn into this by the mistake I made.) — Bill Gates „I did nothing illicit. I saw nothing illicit.” — Bill Gates

Mentioned People

  • Bill Gates — Co-founder of Microsoft and philanthropist who apologized for his relationship with Epstein.
  • Jeffrey Epstein — Deceased financier and convicted sex offender with whom Gates maintained contact.
  • Melinda French Gates — Bill Gates's ex-wife, who was skeptical about his contacts with Epstein.
  • Mila Antonova — Russian bridge player with whom Bill Gates had an extramarital affair.