Unveiling the Two Russian Women Allegedly Involved with Bill Gates

After weeks of silence, Microsoft founder Bill Gates has finally spoken out about his alleged involvement in the scandal surrounding the late Jeffrey Epstein. In a surprising admission made to Gates Foundation staff on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, the 70-year-old billionaire acknowledged “significant mistakes” from his past. Interestingly, the main focus of the admission was not purely about business matters, but rather his secret love life. Gates openly confirmed rumours that he had a special relationship with two women from Russia while still married to Melinda French Gates. The first woman revealed by Gates is a Russian bridge player. The two reportedly first met at a bridge competition. Although Gates did not provide complete details about the woman’s identity, the meeting at the competition led to an extramarital affair. This brain-training sport seems to have been the starting point of the relationship between the Microsoft founder and the woman. The second woman has an equally surprising profile. Gates admitted to having an affair with a nuclear physicist, also from Russia. This complex field of science may be avoided or even disliked by some, but it actually fascinated Gates. Unlike the first woman, whom he met at a competition, Gates met the nuclear physicist through professional channels, namely through a business he was running. Epstein, a businessman accused of child exploitation and sex trafficking, allegedly used the secret of Gates’ affair as a “weapon” to blackmail and threaten him. In a draft email that was leaked following the release of millions of pages of court documents by the US Department of Justice, Epstein claimed to know about the affair and had even helped Gates cover it up. Although he confirmed the affair, Gates strongly denied that his meetings with Epstein were related to a sex trafficking network. He also denied rumours about photos of him with several unknown women in the court documents. “I never did anything illegal with Epstein. I apologize to the other people who have been dragged into this because of my mistakes,” Gates said. His regular meetings with Epstein for about three years, which were previously said to be about philanthropy, are now acknowledged as a significant mistake. This closeness is also believed to have eroded Melinda French Gates’ trust, leading to their divorce in 2021. KOMPAS.com is committed to providing clear, trustworthy and balanced facts. Support the sustainability of clear journalism and enjoy ad-free reading through Membership. Join KOMPAS.com Plus now.