SEATTLE — Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has publicly admitted to two previously undisclosed extramarital affairs, including one with a Russian nuclear physicist, during an internal town hall meeting with employees of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The admission comes as the 70-year-old billionaire faces renewed pressure regarding his historical association with the late convicted offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Addressing foundation staff last week, Gates confirmed romantic involvements with two women: a bridge player and a physicist. These disclosures mark a significant shift in transparency for the philanthropist, whose personal conduct has faced increasing investigation following his 2021 divorce from Melinda French Gates.
New Details Emerge on Past Relationships
During the meeting, Gates characterized the two affairs as being rooted in different spheres of his life. “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,” Gates reportedly stated.
While the bridge player has been widely identified as Mila Antonova—first reported by The Wall Street Journal in 2023—the identity of the physicist remains unknown. Gates noted that the relationship with the physicist was professional in nature before becoming personal.
A spokesperson for Gates confirmed the remarks to the press, stating that the tech mogul “spoke candidly, addressing several questions in detail, and took responsibility for his actions.”
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The Shadow of Jeffrey Epstein
The timing of these admissions coincides with the release of Department of Justice documents containing emails sent by Epstein. The correspondence alleged that Gates had contracted a sexually transmitted infection and suggested Epstein attempted to use that information as leverage.
Gates’ legal team has categorically denied those specific claims. However, Gates used the town hall to address the “huge mistake” of his association with Epstein, while maintaining a firm boundary regarding Epstein’s criminal activities.
- On Epstein: “It was a huge mistake to spend time with Epstein,” Gates said.
- On Illegal Activity: “I never spent any time with victims… I did nothing illicit. I saw nothing illicit.”
- On Motivation: Gates previously told Australian media that his meetings with Epstein were strictly an attempt to secure charitable donations for global health initiatives.
A Pattern of Internal Investigation
This is not the first time Gates’ conduct with employees or associates has been under the microscope. In 2019, Microsoft’s board of directors initiated an investigation into a claim that Gates sought an intimate relationship with a company engineer in 2000.
Though Gates stepped down from the Microsoft board in 2020, his representatives have consistently maintained the departure was unrelated to the probe. However, investigative reports suggest the board’s concerns over his conduct played a primary role in his exit.
Melinda French Gates: “You Can’t Have Trust”
The fallout from these revelations continues to impact the public narrative surrounding the 2021 dissolution of the Gates’ marriage. In her 2025 memoir, The Next Day, and subsequent media appearances, Melinda French Gates has been increasingly vocal about the lack of transparency in their partnership.
“Both partners have to be honest with one another,” she told The Late Show in April 2025. “If you can’t, you can’t have intimacy and you can’t have trust. So in the end, I had to go.” She has emphasized that the men who associated with Epstein, including her ex-husband, must eventually “answer” for those choices.
As federal investigators continue to pore over Epstein’s former network, Gates remains focused on his foundation’s work, even as his personal history becomes an unavoidable part of his public legacy.
