During a closed-door hearing before a US congressional panel, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates reportedly said he had extramarital relationships with three women and alleged that Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender who died in 2019, tried to blackmail him over those relationships.
The testimony came during the US House Oversight Committee’s inquiry into Epstein’s network. Gates appeared voluntarily on June 10 after newly released Justice Department documents renewed attention on his past interactions with Epstein.
According to the transcript released Tuesday, Gates said Epstein was aware of two affairs involving Russian women — bridge player Mila Antonova and nuclear physicist Karima Nigmatulina — and later acknowledged a third involving medical entrepreneur Alice Jacobs Nesselrodt.
Gates told lawmakers that these relationships were unrelated to Epstein but said they caused personal and family difficulties. He added that Epstein attempted to use knowledge of his private life, along with what Gates described as false claims, to pressure him into resuming contact.
He denied any involvement in Epstein’s criminal activities and said that meeting him was a “mistake,” though he had initially engaged with him in a limited capacity linked to philanthropy discussions.
Gates also suggested Epstein may have considered blackmail, citing a 2013 email draft in which Epstein referenced Gates’ personal life and connections. Gates said the communication appeared to reflect an attempt to leverage a mix of facts and misinformation for influence.
Lawmakers also questioned him about claims in Epstein-related documents suggesting concerns about a sexually transmitted infection. Gates denied ever having an STD and rejected allegations that he provided medication secretly to anyone, though he said he may have had general discussions about such concerns.
He said he met Epstein roughly 12 to 14 times, including a couple of video calls, over about four years, even after Epstein’s 2008 conviction. Gates said Epstein often claimed he could connect him with wealthy donors, but those claims did not materialize.
Additional materials released in the investigation included photos of Gates with unidentified women, and the Gates Foundation has since initiated an external review of its past interactions with Epstein.
