When did Bill Gates first meet Jeffrey Epstein? Former Microsoft CEO reportedly regrets ties with disgraced financier

Bill Gates made his acquaintance with Jeffrey Epstein in 2011 when Epstein had been jailed for years for soliciting prostitution from a minor. According to reports, Gates' initial interest in Epstein was reportedly due to his wanting to use Epstein's acquaintance circle to mobilize resources for global health initiatives. It is now reported that Gates has regretted this meeting, which he dubbed a "huge mistake" while stating that he was "foolish" for participating with Epstein.

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal on January 24, 2025, Bill Gates discussed his controversial association with Jeffrey Epstein.

"In retrospect, I was foolish to spend any time with him. And he, sort of, got time with various people by spending time with other people".

"So yes, I think I was quite stupid. I thought it would help me with global health philanthropy. In fact, it failed to do that it was just a huge mistake."

Gates admitted that he had met with Epstein multiple times starting in 2011, even after Epstein had been convicted of soliciting prostitution from a minor. He emphasized that he did not have any personal or business relationship with Epstein but recognized that their interactions did not yield any beneficial outcomes for his philanthropic efforts.

"I thought it would help me with global health philanthropy. In fact, it failed to do that; it was just a huge mistake."

These associations led to fallout and generated tension in the marriage of Bill and Melinda French Gates, according to a source interviewed by People magazine in 2021, which ended with the couple divorcing.

Speaking on CBS Mornings, Melinda had said she did not like his association with Epstein, calling him "abhorrent" and "evil personified" after meeting him once.

According to sources speaking with People Magazine, Epstein's past and their association were a big point of contention in their relationship.

"Epstein is definitely a sore spot. That's a long time for issues to fester."

According to the New York Times, French Gates approached divorce attorneys in October 2019 after her ex-husband's acquaintance with Epstein was made public.

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Bill Gates and Jeffrey Epstein

In 2023, The Wall Street Journal exposed many facts about Mila Antonova, a Russian bridge player who had been accused of an affair with the billionaire Bill Gates.

According to information, the two had met around 2010, when Antonova was at the age of twenties while Bill Gates was at the age of fifties. This connection was made when they both attended a national bridge tournament.

Later, Antonova said in one of her videos on YouTube about meeting Gates on this tournament occasion, humorously saying,

"I didn’t beat him, but I tried to kick him with my leg."

Antonova had an alleged affair with Gates, while the latter married his then-wife, Melinda.

Notably, Antonova's relationship with Gates drew attention due to the fact that it was also connected to Jeffrey Epstein. In 2013, while looking for funding, she connected with Epstein over her online bridge platform, BridgePlanet.

According to WSJ, she said she never knew about the crime background and believed him to be a successful businessman willing to fund her. Epstein paid for Antonova's coding school tuition.

In 2017, when Gates turned down a multibillion-dollar charity fund that Epstein was trying to set up with JPMorgan Chase, Epstein sent an intimidating email to Gates.

According to the outlet, the email suggested he knew about the affair with Antonova and threatened to expose it unless Gates repaid him for the tuition fees he paid for Antonova's coding course.

A representative for Bill Gates told People Magazine at the time:

"Mr. Gates met with Epstein solely for philanthropic purposes. Having failed repeatedly to draw Mr. Gates beyond these matters, Epstein tried unsuccessfully to leverage a past relationship to threaten Mr. Gates."

"Mr. Gates never had any financial dealings with Epstein. As Bill has said before, it was a mistake to have ever met him."

Jeffrey Epstein was found dead by suicide on August 10, 2019, in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City. He was pending trial on serious federal charges, among them trafficking minors.

The authorities found Epstein hung from his prison cell ceiling with linens tied into a makeshift noose. New York City medical examiners determined his passing resulted from a suicide by hanging.

An investigative report from June 2023 claimed that leadership deficiencies in jail management, along with poor oversight, allowed Epstein to succeed in taking his life.