Bill Gates has acknowledged having two affairs with Russian women during his marriage to Melinda French Gates and expressed regret over his past association with Jeffrey Epstein.

Speaking at a company town hall on February 24, the Microsoft co-founder said the relationships were consensual and not connected to any criminal activity. According to reporting reviewed by The Wall Street Journal, Bill Gates told employees he “did nothing illicit” and was unaware of Epstein’s crimes at the time of their interactions.

The remarks bring renewed attention to a chapter that has shadowed Gates’ public image since his 2021 divorce and multiple investigations into his ties with Epstein.

What did Bill Gates say about the affairs?

At the town hall, Bill Gates identified the two women as

• A Russian competitive bridge player, he met through tournaments
• A Russian nuclear physicist whom he encountered during business engagements

He said both relationships occurred during his marriage and later came to Epstein’s attention. According to Gates, his former science adviser, Boris Nikolic, informed Epstein about the affairs.

Bill Gates maintained that neither woman had any connection to Epstein’s criminal conduct and said he never witnessed illegal behavior.

“I did nothing illicit. I saw nothing illicit,” he reportedly said.

How does Jeffrey Epstein factor into this?

Epstein, a financier who was later convicted of sex offenses involving minors, maintained relationships with several high-profile divs across business, academia, and politics. Gates has previously acknowledged meeting with Epstein multiple times.

At the town hall, Gates conceded he continued meeting Epstein until 2014, even after Epstein’s earlier legal troubles became public. He acknowledged traveling on Epstein’s private jet at least once but said he never stayed overnight at Epstein’s properties and never visited his private island.

He also addressed prior reporting that Epstein had referenced one of Gates’ affairs, specifically involving a bridge player, in what some accounts described as a veiled threat. Gates did not characterize it as blackmail but reiterated that he regretted the association.

What role did Melinda French Gates play in this?

Bill Gates credited Melinda French Gates with being skeptical of his interactions with Epstein. The couple, who were married from 1994 to 2021, finalized their divorce after 27 years.

Melinda has previously said that Gates’ extramarital affairs and his association with Epstein were factors in her decision to end the marriage, though she has not provided extensive public details.

Bill Gates acknowledged that his ties to Epstein had broader repercussions.

“I apologize to other people who are drawn into this because of the mistake I made. It definitely is the opposite of the values of the foundation and the goals of the foundation,” he said.

The foundation, co-founded by the couple, remains one of the world’s largest private philanthropic organizations.

Why is this resurfacing now?

Public interest in Gates’ past relationships has periodically resurfaced since 2021, particularly as investigations and reporting shed light on Epstein’s network.

The town hall remarks appear to be an effort at internal transparency. Still, they underscore how reputational risk can follow business leaders long after personal decisions are made.

This episode highlights three broader themes:

• The reputational cost of associations, even absent criminal conduct
• Governance challenges within large philanthropic institutions
• The scrutiny applied to high-profile founders long after stepping back from day-to-day operations

What about Bill Gates’ current standing?

Gates remains a prominent global philanthropist and investor. According to Forbes rankings cited in the report, he is currently listed among the world’s wealthiest individuals, with an estimated net worth exceeding $100 billion.

However, wealth and philanthropy have not insulated him from ongoing questions about judgment and oversight during the years he interacted with Epstein.

The bigger picture

This latest acknowledgment does not introduce criminal allegations against Gates. He has consistently denied knowledge of Epstein’s illegal activities and said he regrets the association.

But the episode illustrates how personal conduct, business relationships, and institutional credibility intersect. For public divs operating at the scale Gates does, the margin for reputational error is narrow.