Jeffrey Epstein allegedly blackmailed Bill Gates over extramarital affair
Jeffrey Epstein, the infamous American financier who was a convicted sex offender, was known for his connection to an array of rich and powerful men. Of those men is Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft. Many have wondered what fueled Gates's relationship with Epstein. Per the Wall Street Journal, it was an affair Gates had around 2010 that formed the foundation of their association.
Why does this story matter?
The horrors of Epstein's two private islands have been the subject of media frenzy for a while. What surprised many was the former banker's association with well-known personalities, including politicians, billionaires, and even royals. However, few compared to Gates. The former world's richest man has done his best to minimize his connections to Epstein, but the latest revelations add new dimensions to that relationship.
Gates allegedly had affair with Russian bridge player
Gates allegedly had an affair with Mila Antonova, a Russian bridge player, around 2010. The billionaire met Antonova when she was in her 20s through bridge tournaments. The two went on to play each other and got acquainted. Antonova talked about playing with Gates in a 2010 YouTube video. "I didn't beat him, but I tried to kick him with my leg," she said.
Epstein paid for Antonova to attend software coding school
Antonova met Epstein in 2013 while she was trying to raise money for BridgePlanet, an online bridge tutorial business. As per WSJ, she pitched her fundraising proposal to Epstein and sought half a million dollars. He did not invest in Antonova's venture. However, he later paid for her to attend software coding school. According to Antonova, she does not know why he did that.
Gates received threatening email from Epstein in 2017
Epstein, in 2017, sent an email to Gates after his affair with Antonova ended. In the email, he asked the multi-billionaire to reimburse him for Antonova's coding education. According to the Journal, the email's tone was that Epstein knew about the affair, and he was ready to expose it. Now, why did he try to blackmail Gates?
Epstein was trying to establish large charitable fund
While Antonova was trying to raise money, Epstein was busy setting up his own fund. He was trying to create a large charitable fund with JP Morgan, which required ultra-wealthy individuals as benefactors. The Journal reported that the creation of the fund was contingent on Gates's involvement. In his communications with JP Morgan, he represented himself as a close aide of Gates.
Gates did not invest in fund
The fund was Epstein's way of rebuilding his reputation after he was convicted in 2008 for soliciting and procuring a minor for prostitution. He met with Gates multiple times to talk about the fund. However, he was unable to get the Microsoft co-founder as a primary investor. This irked Epstein. As a result, he sent the seemingly threatening email to Gates in 2017.
Epstein misrepresented relationship with Gates
According to the Journal, Gates's spokesperson said Epstein never worked for the billionaire and misrepresented their relationship in his communication with JP Morgan. The spokesperson also said Gates "had no financial dealings with Epstein." It is unclear whether the two exchanged any emails after Epstein's 2017 email to the Microsoft co-founder. Meanwhile, Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while in custody.
