Bill Gates Addresses Past Affairs and Epstein Ties in Gates Foundation Town Hall
Bill Gates opened up to staff at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation during a February 25, 2026, town hall about two past extramarital affairs with Russian women and his regretted association with Jeffrey Epstein.theguardian+2
He stressed these personal matters occurred during his marriage to Melinda French Gates, which ended in 2021, and denied any involvement in Epstein's crimes.
The discussion followed recent U.S. DOJ releases of Epstein-related files mentioning Gates, prompting questions from employees.
Details of Gates' Remarks
Gates acknowledged affairs with a Russian bridge player (previously reported as Mila Antonova, linked to Epstein via emails) and another Russian woman met through business contacts.
"It was a huge mistake to spend time with Epstein," Gates said, apologizing for drawing staff into the fallout and harming the foundation's reputation.cbsnews+1
A foundation spokesperson confirmed Gates "took responsibility for his actions" but noted no illicit behavior or knowledge of Epstein's crimes on his part.
Background on Epstein Connections
Epstein allegedly learned of one affair and tried to leverage it for influence or funding, per earlier WSJ reporting from 2023.[ from prior]
Gates met Epstein multiple times starting around 2011, hoping for philanthropy introductions, but cut ties after no results; he reiterated seeing "nothing illicit."bbc+1
Recent files renewed scrutiny, but Gates maintains the meetings were solely professional misjudgments.
Viral Claims and Fact Check
Social media posts, including from pages like BollyBazaar (known for Indian celebrity and viral content), sensationalized the town hall as a "confession" of affairs with "Russian women" tied to Epstein.
No evidence supports Gates admitting to being "part of anything" illicit; reports emphasize his denials and apologies for poor judgment only.cbsnews+1
The Gates Foundation continues global health work uninterrupted amid the disclosures.
This article is based on reports from WSJ, Guardian, CBS, and Reuters as of February 27, 2026. #BillGates #EpsteinFiles,