Bill Gates has publicly admitted to engaging in extramarital affairs with two Russian women while simultaneously issuing a formal apology to employees for his associations with the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. This revelation occurred during a scheduled town hall meeting held at the Gates Foundation headquarters on Tuesday.
Taking Responsibility for Actions
A spokesperson for the philanthropic organisation confirmed that the Microsoft founder explicitly "took responsibility for his actions" in response to a detailed report published by the Wall Street Journal. According to the newspaper's account, Gates described his decision to spend time with Epstein and involve foundation executives in meetings with the convicted sex offender as a "huge mistake."
Apology and Clarification
In a recording cited by the Journal, Gates expressed remorse, stating, "I apologise to other people who are drawn into this because of the mistake that I made." He specifically addressed the affairs, acknowledging two relationships with Russian women that Epstein later became aware of, but he vehemently stressed that these encounters did not involve any of Epstein's victims.
Gates told staff, "I did nothing illicit. I saw nothing illicit," according to the paper. This statement was part of his effort to distance himself from Epstein's criminal activities.
Documentary Evidence and Meetings
Previously released U.S. Department of Justice documents reveal that Gates met with Epstein on multiple occasions after the financier had served a prison sentence. These discussions reportedly focused on expanding Gates' philanthropic work. The documents also included photographs of the Microsoft founder posing with women whose faces were redacted.
Explanation of Images
According to the Journal, Gates explained to foundation staff that these images were pictures Epstein requested him to take with Epstein's assistants following their meetings. "To be clear I never spent any time with victims, the women around him," Gates added, as per the report.
Foundation's Response and Context
A spokesperson for the Gates Foundation informed reporters that Gates held the scheduled town hall and answered questions on various issues, including the release of the Epstein files. The spokesperson stated, "In the town hall, Bill spoke candidly, addressing several questions in detail, and took responsibility for his actions." The foundation acknowledged what was shared during the meeting and indicated this statement would be their sole comment on the report.
Earlier this month, the Gates Foundation clarified that it did not make any financial payments to Epstein or employ him at any time. In a related development, Gates withdrew from India's AI Impact Summit hours before his scheduled keynote last week.
The Gates Foundation, chaired by Bill Gates and founded by him and his then-wife in 2000, remains one of the world's largest funders of global health initiatives. This incident highlights ongoing scrutiny of high-profile figures' connections to Epstein, with Gates' admissions adding a personal dimension to the controversy.
