Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates issued a public apology to his foundation staff for his connections to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. During a town hall meeting, Gates admitted to having two affairs with Russian women while married to Melinda French Gates, now his ex-wife, and acknowledged spending time with Epstein both in the U.S. and abroad.

Gates claimed he never committed any crimes or stayed overnight with Epstein, maintaining he never visited Epstein's infamous island. The revelations came as part of the U.S. Department of Justice's release of Epstein files, which showed Gates first met Epstein in 2011 despite Epstein's 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor for prostitution. Gates continued meetings with Epstein for three years despite his wife's concerns.

French Gates filed for divorce in 2021 after 27 years of marriage. Gates described his wife as always being skeptical about his Epstein relationship and said knowing what he knows now makes the situation 'a hundred times worse.' The apology comes as Gates faces ongoing scrutiny over his judgment in maintaining a relationship with Epstein despite the financier's criminal history.