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Bill Gates has acknowledged past personal mistakes while addressing renewed scrutiny over his previous association with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. Speaking during a scheduled town hall with employees of the Gates Foundation on February 24, the Microsoft co founder said he had taken responsibility for his actions and answered staff questions on several issues, including the recently released Epstein files. According to reports based on a recording of the meeting, Gates admitted to having two affairs with Russian women during his marriage to Melinda French Gates.
“I did nothing illicit. I saw nothing illicit,” Gates told staff, while maintaining that he was never involved in wrongdoing connected to Epstein. He said one of the women was a Russian bridge player he met at bridge events and the other a nuclear physicist he encountered through business activities.
The billionaire philanthropist also issued an apology to colleagues at the foundation, acknowledging the reputational impact of his past decisions. “I apologize to other people who are drawn into this because of the mistake that I made,” he said, referring to his relationship with Epstein.
Gates described his interactions with Epstein, which began in 2011, years after Epstein had pleaded guilty to soliciting a minor, as a serious error in judgment. He told employees it was a “huge mistake to spend time with Epstein,” adding that, to his knowledge, he never spent time with Epstein’s victims and never stayed overnight at any of Epstein’s properties.
A spokesperson for the Gates Foundation confirmed the town hall took place as part of Gates’ regular twice-yearly meetings with staff, noting that he “spoke candidly” and addressed questions in detail. The renewed attention follows the release of Justice Department materials that included draft emails written by Epstein. In those documents, Epstein made claims about Gates that his representatives have previously dismissed as “absolutely absurd and completely false.”
Gates also acknowledged that his ex-wife had been wary of Epstein during the period when the two men were in contact, crediting her skepticism in hindsight.
The Microsoft founder and Melinda French Gates divorced in 2021 after 27 years of marriage. Despite the controversy, Gates emphasized to staff that the situation runs counter to the values of the Gates Foundation and noted that the organization’s work is highly sensitive to public trust.
The Gates Foundation remains one of the world’s largest philanthropic organizations focused on global health and development initiatives.