Gates reportedly acknowledged that he had two affairs with Russian women
Digital Desk: Bill Gates has issued a public apology to staff at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation after newly released documents related to Jeffrey Epstein reignited controversy over his past association with the disgraced financier.
According to a statement shared with Reuters by a Foundation spokesperson, Gates “took responsibility for his actions” during a recent town hall meeting, where he addressed questions regarding his previous interactions with Epstein.
Gates reportedly acknowledged that he had two affairs with Russian women, as referenced in the documents, but clarified that those relationships were unrelated to Epstein’s criminal activities and did not involve any of Epstein’s victims. He reiterated that while Epstein later became aware of the affairs, they had no connection to the financier’s crimes.
Earlier this month, the Foundation stated that it had never made any financial payments to Epstein and had never employed him.
The renewed scrutiny comes after Gates cancelled his scheduled appearance at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, where he was expected to speak as a leading global voice on technology and philanthropy alongside prominent industry figures including Sundar Pichai, Sam Altman, and Dario Amodei.
Meanwhile, separate attention has also focused on newly surfaced photographs of late physicist Stephen Hawking from the Epstein files. In images believed to have been taken in 2006 during a science symposium at the The Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas, Hawking is seen seated on a sun lounger with two women beside him. According to media reports, the women were long-term carers assisting him due to his need for continuous medical support.
Hawking had attended a conference funded and hosted by Epstein in March 2006. The event included visits by 21 scientists to St Thomas and Epstein’s private island, Little Saint James.
Hawking, who lived with early-onset ALS for more than 50 years, died in 2018 at the age of 76.
The resurfacing of these materials has once again drawn public attention to the extent of Epstein’s connections with prominent global figures.
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