In a startling and highly personal disclosure, Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates has admitted to having two extramarital affairs with Russian women during his 27-year marriage to Melinda French Gates, the couple whose high-profile split in 2021 ended one of the tech world’s most influential partnerships.
The confession came during a town hall meeting with staff at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on February 24, where Gates also addressed long-scrutinised ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
At the gathering, Gates acknowledged that the relationships occurred while he was married to Melinda French Gates, saying his personal conduct was a mistake and expressing regret for the broader controversy it has stirred among foundation staff and the public.
He did not characterise the affairs as criminal but spoke candidly about their existence amid broader discussions of his past choices.
According to transcripts and accounts of the event, Gates identified one of the women as a Russian bridge player he met through competitive bridge events and the other as a Russian nuclear physicist he encountered through business activities, offering unusual detail for a foundation address.
The disclosures arrive against the backdrop of intense media and legal scrutiny of Gates’ earlier association with Epstein, whose infamous circle of wealthy benefactors and power players has been dumped into the public record through a trove of U.S. Department of Justice-released documents.
Those files, spanning millions of pages, include draft emails and other material that have repeatedly reignited debate about the nature of Gates’ relationship with Epstein and what he knew about the financier’s crimes.
Gates has apologized to staff at the foundation for his decision to associate with Epstein, calling it a “huge mistake” and insisting that he never witnessed or participated in any illegal activities during their interactions.
He also emphasized that the foundation never paid Epstein and that Epstein was never formally connected to its operations.
The admission of the affairs marks one of the most personal revelations of Gates’ long public life, touching on questions of personal conduct that intersect with the work he continues to lead in global health, climate, and education through the foundation he established with Melinda.
While Melinda French Gates has not publicly commented on the latest admissions, she previously cited concerns about Gates’ judgment and priorities, including, in part, his ties to Epstein, when explaining their decision to divorce in 2021.
The episode underscores how the release of previously sealed documents and renewed scrutiny of high-profile figures can bring both philanthropic legacy and private life into sharp focus simultaneously, reshaping public conversations about accountability, transparency, and leadership in some of the world’s most influential institutions.
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