Bill Gates maintained a cordial relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, but newly released text messages indicate that Melinda French Gates blocked further contact between the two. The messages, part of recently disclosed Epstein-related documents, show that Gates’s adviser told Epstein in 2017 that Gates wanted to continue speaking, but his wife would not allow it. Additional texts suggested Epstein felt “bad” about stepping away from their proposed ventures and believed their ideas had potential, but Melinda opposed any collaboration. She later stated publicly that she disliked Gates meeting with Epstein, whom she met only once, and that this relationship contributed to their 2021 divorce.
The messages also reveal that Epstein tried to persuade Gates to pursue a donor-advised charitable fund he hoped to manage. When Gates declined, Epstein allegedly hinted at exposing an affair Gates was reported to have had with Russian bridge player Mila Antonova. In her memoir, Melinda Gates wrote that Bill had admitted to infidelity and that media reports in 2019 intensified the strain on their marriage, raising serious questions for her about his judgment and values.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump signed the bipartisan Epstein Files Transparency Act, requiring the Department of Justice to publish all unclassified records related to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell within 30 days, while protecting victim identities.