On February 25, 2026, Bill Gates, the billionaire Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist, addressed employees at his charitable foundation in a highly anticipated town hall meeting that has since rippled through the worlds of technology, philanthropy, and public opinion. Gates, 70, took the rare step of publicly admitting to two extramarital affairs with Russian women during his marriage to Melinda French Gates, while also apologizing for his past association with the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
According to The Wall Street Journal and corroborated by statements from the Gates Foundation and multiple outlets including BBC, Forbes, and The Independent, Gates spoke candidly to his staff about the details that have recently come to light in the so-called "Epstein files"—a trove of documents released by the US Department of Justice in January. The files have renewed scrutiny of Gates' relationship with Epstein, who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.
During the town hall, Gates did not shy away from the controversy. "I did nothing illicit. I saw nothing illicit," he told staff, emphasizing that he never spent time with Epstein’s victims or the women around him. He clarified, "To be clear, I never spent any time with victims, the women around him." Gates was explicit in his regret, stating, "It was a huge mistake to spend time with Epstein. I apologize to other people who are drawn into this because of the mistake that I made." (The Wall Street Journal).
The two affairs Gates admitted to involved a Russian bridge player he met at bridge events and a Russian nuclear physicist he encountered through business activities. He explained that Epstein later found out about these relationships, a revelation that has fueled speculation about Epstein’s alleged attempts to leverage such information in his dealings with powerful individuals. "I did have affairs, one with a Russian bridge player who met me at bridge events, and one with a Russian nuclear physicist who I met through business activities," Gates told staff, as reported by The Independent.
Gates also addressed the release of photographs included in the Epstein files, which show him posing with women whose faces are redacted. He explained that these were Epstein’s assistants, and that Epstein had asked him to take the photos after their meetings. "The images were pictures that Epstein asked him to take with Epstein’s assistants after their meetings," Gates clarified (The Wall Street Journal).
Gates’ relationship with Epstein began in 2011, three years after Epstein pleaded guilty to soliciting a minor for prostitution. Gates said he was only dimly aware of an "18-month thing" that had limited Epstein's travel, and admitted he did not thoroughly check Epstein’s background at the time. He continued to meet with Epstein through 2014, sometimes spending time with him abroad, but insisted he "never stayed overnight" at Epstein’s properties or visited Little St James, the financier’s notorious private Caribbean island. Gates said after 2014, Epstein continued to email him, but he chose not to respond (The Independent, Forbes).
Melinda French Gates, who divorced Bill Gates in 2021 after 27 years of marriage, has spoken out about the pain these revelations have caused. In an interview with NPR’s Wild Card podcast, she described the release of the Epstein files as dredging up "some very, very painful times" in her marriage. She said, "I am so happy to be away from all the muck," adding, "Whatever questions remain there of what—I can't even begin to know all of it—those questions are for those people and for even my ex-husband. They need to answer to those things, not me." (BBC)
Gates acknowledged that Melinda had expressed skepticism about Epstein as early as 2013, but he ignored her caution and continued to see Epstein socially. "To give her credit, she was always kind of skeptical about the Epstein thing," he noted during the town hall (The Wall Street Journal). He further admitted, "Knowing what I know now makes it, you know, a hundred times worse in terms of not only his crimes in the past, but now it’s clear there was ongoing bad behavior."
Epstein, for his part, reportedly told Gates he had connections with other billionaires and suggested he could help raise money for Gates’ philanthropic causes. Gates said this made him feel the meetings were "a normalized situation," but now admits, "It definitely is the opposite of the values of the foundation and the goals of the foundation. And our work is very reputation-sensitive. I mean, people can choose to work with us or not work with us." (The Independent)
Gates has denied all allegations of improper conduct related to Epstein or the financier’s criminal activities. No documents allege Gates participated in or had knowledge of Epstein’s abuse. The Gates Foundation has called the most salacious claims—such as those suggesting Gates contracted a sexually transmitted infection and tried to hide it from Melinda—"absolutely absurd and completely false." Gates’ spokesperson told The Independent, "The only thing these documents demonstrate is Epstein’s frustration that he did not have an ongoing relationship with Gates and the lengths he would go to entrap and defame."
In a previous interview with Australia’s 9News, Gates expressed deep regret over his connection with Epstein: "Every minute I spent with him, I regret, and I apologize that I did that. I was foolish to spend time with him and am one of many people who regret ever knowing him." He added, "The more that comes out, the more clear it will be that, although the time was a mistake, it has nothing to do with that kind of behavior."
The foundation itself has clarified that, despite Epstein’s claims, it never pursued any collaboration with Epstein, no fund was ever created, and no payments were made to him. "At no time were financial payments made by the foundation to Epstein, nor was he employed by the foundation at any time," a spokesperson said (BBC).
Gates’ willingness to speak openly about these issues—especially in contrast to other powerful men linked to Epstein who have remained silent—has been noted by observers. The February 24, 2026, town hall was a scheduled, biannual event in which Gates answered a range of questions from staff, including those about the foundation's work in artificial intelligence and the future of global health, but it was his forthrightness on Epstein and his personal life that drew the most attention.
As the world continues to grapple with the fallout from the Epstein scandal and the broader reckoning around the abuse of power and trust, Gates’ admissions mark a significant moment for one of the world’s most influential philanthropists. Whether his candor will help restore trust in his foundation’s mission remains to be seen, but the episode underscores the lasting impact of personal choices on public legacies.