Bill Gates admits affairs with Russian women, blames Epstein fallout

Among the Justice Department documents from the Epstein investigation is an email Epstein sent to himself, claiming Gates had asked for antibiotics after contracting an STI from "Russian girls." Gates has now confirmed at least part of that story. Speaking to Gates Foundation employees on February 24, he admitted to two affairs with Russian women — relationships the pedophile found out about, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing a recording of his remarks. Gates maintained the affairs had nothing to do with the pedophile's victims.

"I did nothing illicit. I saw nothing illicit," Gates told the room, according to the Journal. He described his time with the pedophile as a "huge mistake" — one that dragged foundation staff into the orbit of a convicted sex offender. "I apologize to other people who are drawn into this because of the mistake that I made," he said.

Gates also tried to explain away photos from the DOJ release showing him alongside women whose identities have been obscured. His story: The pedophile would ask him to pose with assistants after meetings. "To be clear I never spent any time with victims, the women around him," he said.

For years, Gates maintained he only met with the pedophile to discuss charitable giving. That story has been unraveling in public. Melinda French Gates ended their 27-year marriage in 2021 and left the foundation in 2024. Days before the town hall, Gates pulled out of a planned keynote at India's AI Impact Summit on February 19.

Previously:

• Melinda Gates ended marriage with Bill Gates over Epstein allegations
• Bill Gates explains the lesson of Jeffrey Epstein
• Watch Bill Gates squirm when asked about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein