Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has publicly acknowledged personal mistakes and defended his past associations during a candid town hall with employees of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
The internal meeting followed the US Justice Department’s release of additional emails detailing Gates’ past interactions with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The newly disclosed documents outlined communications covering philanthropic fundraising efforts, global health initiatives, Microsoft’s CEO search and even a reported personal wager on the euro’s performance.
According to a foundation spokesperson, Gates “took responsibility for his actions” during the session and responded to pre-submitted staff questions on topics including the Epstein files, artificial intelligence projects and the future of global health work.
In remarks cited by The Wall Street Journal, Gates said he “did nothing illicit” in his dealings with Epstein and denied ever staying overnight at Epstein’s residences, though he acknowledged meeting him in several countries. He has previously described the association as a mistake.
During the town hall, Gates also admitted to having had affairs with two Russian women — described as a bridge player and a nuclear physicist — and said longtime associate Boris Nikolic had discussed those relationships with Epstein, according to the Journal.
Gates and Melinda French Gates divorced in 2021 after jointly leading the foundation for years as co-chairs.
In a statement, the foundation reiterated that a small number of employees interacted with Epstein because he claimed he could help mobilise significant philanthropic funding. It stressed that no funds were ever transferred to Epstein and no joint philanthropic vehicle was created. The organisation also condemned the harm Epstein inflicted on women and girls as horrific.
The broader fallout from the Justice Department’s January release of millions of pages of documents has affected political, academic and business figures. Earlier this week, physician and author Dr. Peter Attia resigned as a contributor to CBS News, describing emails involving him as “embarrassing, tasteless, and indefensible.”
Gates has since withdrawn from a planned artificial intelligence summit in India, the foundation confirmed, as scrutiny over his past associations continues.
