Bill Gates has acknowledged having relationships outside his marriage with two women from Russia, while also stating they were not connected to any victims associated with Jeffrey Epstein.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Gates apologized to Gates Foundation staff during a town hall meeting on Tuesday (February 24), saying he had made mistakes.

He confirmed the relationships, which he said later became known to Epstein, but emphasized that he was not involved in Epstein’s criminal conduct.

“I did have relationships — one with a Russian bridge player whom I met at bridge events, and one with a Russian nuclear physicist whom I met through business activities,” he said.

He also said that images referenced in recently released materials were photos Epstein had asked him to take.

“To be clear, I never spent any time with victims or the women around him,” Gates said. “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.
“… I did nothing illegal. I saw nothing illegal.”

In the latest batch of Epstein-related records, Gates faced serious health-related allegations referenced in an email Epstein reportedly wrote in 2013.

The message, which Epstein is believed to have written to himself despite being addressed to “Bill,” included claims about private medical matters and a request involving medication. The email also contained crude personal remarks.

During the meeting, Gates also described how he became associated with Epstein, saying they first met in 2011, several years after Epstein had pleaded guilty to a sex-related offense involving a minor.

Gates said he was aware there had been a period in which Epstein’s travel was restricted, but said he did not examine the details closely at the time.

He added that he continued meeting with Epstein in 2014, flew on a private jet, and spent time with him in multiple countries, but said he never stayed overnight or visited Epstein’s private island.

“Knowing what I know now makes it, you know, a hundred times worse — not only because of his past crimes, but because it’s clear there was ongoing harmful behavior,” Gates told staff.

Speaking about his ex-wife Melinda, who had raised concerns, Gates added: “To give her credit, she was always kind of skeptical about the Epstein thing.”

Melinda also recently commented publicly about some of the accusations referenced in the files.
Speaking on NPR’s Wild Card podcast, Melinda said that “whatever questions remain — of what I don’t, can’t even begin to know all of it — those questions are for those people and for even my ex-husband.” She added that those involved should answer those questions, not her.

“I think we’re having a reckoning as a society, right? No girl should ever be put in the situation those girls were put in by Epstein and whatever was going on with all of the various people around him.

“It’s beyond heartbreaking. I remember being those ages. I remember my daughters being those ages.

“So for me, it’s personally hard whenever those details come up, because it brings back memories of some very, very painful times in my marriage.”