Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft and a leading philanthropist, has acknowledged past extramarital affairs and apologized to staff at his foundation for his association with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. The statements were made in an internal memo to employees of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which was reviewed by multiple news outlets.
The communication comes amid ongoing public scrutiny of Gates’s personal conduct and professional relationships. In the memo, Gates stated he had engaged in affairs with employees at Microsoft decades ago, which he described as a mistake he regretted. He also addressed his past meetings with Epstein, who was a convicted sex offender.
Details of the Acknowledgment
Regarding the affairs, Gates wrote, “There were relationships I had that were inappropriate.” He confirmed these were with Microsoft staff members and occurred around the time he was the company’s CEO, before his 2021 divorce from Melinda French Gates. He emphasized that he did not believe these relationships violated the company’s policies at the time but acknowledged they represented a lapse in judgment.
Separately, Gates expressed regret for his decision to meet with Jeffrey Epstein on several occasions. “I made a mistake in judgment by meeting with him,” Gates stated in the memo. He apologized to foundation staff for the negative attention the association has brought to their work. Gates has previously stated his meetings with Epstein were solely for philanthropic purposes and that he severed ties when those efforts proved unfruitful.
Context and Previous Reports
These admissions follow years of media reports and a 2019 Microsoft board investigation into an alleged affair with an employee. While Gates resigned from the Microsoft board in 2020, he has consistently denied that the investigation was the reason for his departure. The nature and extent of his ties to Epstein have also been a subject of public interest and speculation, particularly following Epstein’s 2019 arrest and subsequent death.
The internal memo appears to be an effort to address these issues directly with the foundation’s employees, who are responsible for executing its global health and development missions. The foundation is one of the world’s largest private charitable organizations.
Reactions and Implications
There has been no immediate public statement from Melinda French Gates. A spokesperson for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation confirmed the authenticity of the memo and stated it was shared to provide transparency to staff. The foundation reiterated that Gates’s past personal conduct is separate from its operational work and governance.
Observers note that the memo may be part of a broader effort to manage the reputational impact on the foundation’s brand and to reassure partners and grantees. The personal lives of high-profile philanthropists can sometimes affect public perception of their charitable institutions.
Looking ahead, it is expected that Gates will continue his philanthropic work while the foundation’s leadership focuses on maintaining its operational focus. The episode highlights the ongoing challenges major philanthropic organizations face when the personal histories of their founders come under intense public scrutiny.
Source: Multiple news reports including internal memo verification.
