Bill. Gates talked about him and Jeffrey. The Epstein affiliate has apologized to Gates Foundation employees, admitting it made mistakes and casting a shadow over the charity but insisting it had no role in Epstein's crimes.
During an employee meeting on Tuesday, the Microsoft co-founder admitted that he had extramarital affairs with two Russian women that were later discovered by Epstein, but that the women were not Epstein's victims. "I didn't do anything illegal. I didn't see anything illegal," Gates said.
Gates said recently released documents in the Epstein case include photos of him with women whose faces were coded, which Epstein asked him to take with Epstein's aides after they met. "To be clear, I never spent time with the victims, the women who were around him," Gates said.
"Associating with Epstein and bringing Gates Foundation executives to meet with this sex offender was a huge mistake," Gates said. "I apologize to anyone who was involved in this because of the mistake I made."
The billionaire said he began meeting with Epstein in 2011. Years ago in 2008, Epstein pleaded guilty to charges of soliciting minors for prostitution. Gates said he knew there was an "18-month thing" that restricted Epstein's travel, but said he did not properly check his background. Gates said that even when his then-wife Melinda... French. Melinda French Gates continued to meet with Epstein even after he expressed concerns in 2013.
"Knowing these circumstances now makes this a hundred times worse, not just because of his past crimes, but it's now clear that he has engaged in inappropriate behavior all along," Gates told employees. Speaking of his ex-wife, he added: "To her credit, she has always been skeptical about the Epstein matter."
Gates told employees on Tuesday that his meetings with Epstein continued until the end of 2014, that he flew with Epstein on private jets and spent time with him in Germany, France, New York and Washington. “I never stayed overnight,” he said, and had never been to Epstein’s island.
He said Epstein "talked about how close he was to a lot of billionaires, particularly on Wall Street," and said he could help raise money for causes such as global health.
Gates said that because Epstein also invited other high-profile people to these meetings, it "made it easier for me to feel like this was a normal situation." He said he realized his dealings with Epstein also helped the sex offender whitewash his reputation.
Gates acknowledged that his ties to Epstein and newly disclosed emails in Justice Department documents cast a pall over the Gates Foundation and its reputation.
“This is absolutely contrary to the values and goals of the foundation,” he said. "What we do is very reputation-sensitive. I mean, people can choose to work with us or they can choose not to work with us."
A spokesman for the Gates Foundation said Gates holds two town hall meetings a year where he "speaks candidly, answers several questions in detail and takes responsibility for his actions."
Among the recently disclosed emails are two that Epstein sent to himself in July 2013 that appeared to mimic Gates' then-science adviser Boris. A draft resignation letter written in the tone of Boris Nikolic. The second email mentioned Gates' "marital troubles" and said the author had facilitated "illicit trysts."
At the town hall meeting, Gates spoke candidly about his personal life. "I did have extramarital affairs, once with a Russian bridge player I met at a bridge event and once with a Russian nuclear physicist I met through business activities," he told employees.
Gates said Nikolic, who was close to both him and Epstein, knew about the affairs and told Epstein. The physicist worked at one of Gates' companies, but it's unclear whether the affair occurred during her tenure.
It was reported in 2023 that Gates had had an affair with a Russian bridge player, and Epstein later appeared to use his knowledge of the situation to threaten Gates. Gates met the woman around 2010, when she was in her 20s. Epstein met her in 2013 and later paid for her to attend software programming school. In 2017, Epstein emailed Gates requesting reimbursement for the course.
In an email to Nikolic on July 4, 2013, Epstein wrote: "Bill risks going from being the world's richest man to the biggest hypocrite, Melinda will become a laughing stock, and the donation pledge will disappear." Epstein continued to write, and named two women who had extramarital affairs with Gates, saying that they "have the potential to become famous overnight."
Gates said at the staff meeting that 2014 was the last year he met with Epstein, although Epstein raised some "side questions." "He continued to email me after that," Gates said, adding that he didn't respond.