![Hon. Festus Keyamo SAN arrives MMIA past 11:50 p.m. Feb 23 to lead oversight of Terminal 1 fire. Joined FAAN MD & team actively managing situation. Directed morning inspection Tuesday to guide restoration & confirm safety standards. Reaffirmed focus on passenger safety. Story: [link] #KeyamoMMIA #FireIncident #FAAN](https://fullcliphq.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/mym-150x150.jpg "MMIA Fire: Keyamo Inspects Lagos Airport After Terminal 1 Blaze Disrupts Flights")
Bill Gates has acknowledged having extramarital relationships with two Russian women during his 27-year marriage to Melinda French Gates, while firmly denying any criminal wrongdoing in connection with his past interactions with Jeffrey Epstein.
The Microsoft co-founder addressed foundation staff during a private town hall call on Tuesday, following the release of additional Epstein-related documents by the U.S. Department of Justice in January 2026. In those documents, an email attributed to Epstein from 2013 claimed Gates sought to conceal a sexually transmitted disease from his wife after encounters with “Russian girls” and requested antibiotics. Gates, through a spokesperson, previously labeled the allegation “completely false.”
During the call, Gates confirmed the affairs but provided context. He said one relationship was with a Russian bridge player he met at bridge events, and the other was with a Russian nuclear physicist he encountered through business activities. He did not elaborate further on the circumstances or timing beyond stating they occurred during his marriage.
Gates reiterated that he met Epstein in 2011 – after Epstein’s 2008 Florida conviction for procuring a child for prostitution – and continued occasional contact despite reservations expressed by his then-wife. He said Melinda “was always kind of skeptical about the Epstein thing.” Gates emphasized that he never spent time with Epstein’s victims or witnessed any illegal activity.
“I did nothing illicit. I saw nothing illicit,” Gates reportedly told staff.
He acknowledged flying on Epstein’s private plane and meeting him in the U.S. and abroad but insisted his interactions were limited to discussions on philanthropy and global health issues. Gates expressed regret for the reputational damage to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation caused by the association. He apologized directly to staff: “I apologize to other people who are drawn into this because of the mistake I made. It definitely is the opposite of the values of the Foundation and the goals of the Foundation.”
The town hall followed weeks of renewed scrutiny after the Epstein document release. Gates stepped down from the foundation’s board in 2021 but remains closely involved in its work. The foundation has consistently stated that Gates’ interactions with Epstein were limited and unrelated to any foundation activities.