Bill Gates reportedly apologized to Gates Foundation employees regarding his connections to Jeffrey Epstein and admitted he cheated on his ex-wife with two Russian women.
Gates opened up about the affairs in a Feb. 24 town hall but firmly denied participating in Epstein’s alleged crimes, according to a recording obtained by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ). The outlet previously reported that Epstein allegedly discovered his affairs and leveraged the information against him.
“I did nothing illicit. I saw nothing illicit,” Gates said, according to the recording. “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.”
He alleged Boris Nikolic, his former science advisor who was also tied to Epstein, knew of the affairs and revealed them to Epstein, according to the WSJ.
Close up image of a tablet screen displaying a portrait of Jeffrey Epstein beside the official U.S. Department of Justice website page titled Epstein Library in Washington District of Columbia United States on February 11, 2026. The blue and gold header reading U.S. Department of Justice and the Privacy Notice section contrast with the search bar showing epstein, creating a striking visual tension between digital archive, criminal case memory, media imagery and institutional transparency. (Photo by Véronique Tournier / Hans Lucas / AFP via Getty Images)
Microsoft co-founder and US philanthropist Bill Gates gestures as he speaks during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 21, 2026. The World Economic Forum takes place in Davos from January 19 to January 23, 2026. (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP via Getty Images)
Epstein allegedly involved himself in Nikolic’s exit from Gates’s private office and dangled claims of extramarital affairs by Gates when organized the deal, the WSJ previously reported. Nikolic told the outlet July 2013 emails “were not written on my behalf or at my request.”
In a July 4, 2013, email to Nikolic, Epstein wrote: “Bill risks going from richest man to biggest hypocrite, Melinda a laughing stock, pledges will disappear as a result,” according to the WSJ.
Epstein allegedly proceeded to name the two women while noting they “risk becoming overnight sensations.”
This photograph taken in Le-Perreux-sur-Marne, outside Paris on February 9, 2026 shows undated pictures provided by the US Department of Justice on January 30, 2026 as part of the Jeffrey Epstein files. US authorities on January 30, 2026, released the latest cache of files related to the investigation into the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The files contained references to numerous high-profile figures. (Photo by Martin BUREAU / AFP via Getty Images)
Images of Gates seemingly posing with two women whose faces were redacted were released as part of the Epstein Files. Gates claimed that Epstein asked him to take photos with his assistants after their meetings, according to the recording.
“To be clear I never spent any time with victims, the women around him,” Gates said, the outlet reported. “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.”
In this handout, the mug shot of Jeffrey Epstein, 2019. (Photo by Kypros/Getty Images)
Gates said his meetings with Epstein began in 2011, after Epstein plead guilty to soliciting a minor for prostitution in 2008, according to the WSJ. He reportedly claimed he knew of an “18-month thing” that restricted Epstein’s movements, but said he didn’t dig into the matter further. Gates admitted his then-wife Melinda French Gates said she was worried about Epstein in 2013.
“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,” Gates told staff, according to the recording.
Gates reportedly told employees he met with Epstein through 2014 and admitted to flying on a private jet with the late sex offender and spending time with him in Germany, France, Washington and New York.
He claimed to have never visited Epstein’s island and said, “I never stayed overnight,” according to the Wall Street Journal.
TOPSHOT – This photo illustration shows redacted documents from the Epstein Library files released by the US Department of Justice in Washington, DC, on February 18, 2026. The Epstein Files Transparency Act (EFTA), passed overwhelmingly by Congress in November 2025, compelled the Justice Department to release all of the documents in its possession related to the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein within 30 days. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski / AFP via Getty Images) / — IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE —
Gates claimed his conversations with Epstein centered around “the kind of intimate relationship he had with a lot of billionaires, particularly Wall Street billionaires,” and Epstein’s claims that he could raise money for causes including global health, according to the recording. He reportedly said Epstein’s prestigious guests during gatherings “made it easier for me to feel like this was a normalized situation.” (RELATED: Epstein Estate Agrees To Pay $35 Million To Settle Class Action Lawsuit)
He confessed that his connections to Epstein and emails released by the Justice Department have negatively impacted the Gates Foundation and its public image, according to the WSJ.
The foundation said the billionaire “took responsibility for his actions” and spoke of his connections to Epstein while meeting with the organization’s staff in a statement to the BBC. “Bill spoke candidly, addressing several questions in detail,” the organization continued.