According to a WSJ report, the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein discovered that Bill Gates had an affair with the Russian bridge player Mila Antonova. Epstein allegedly used this knowledge to blackmail the Microsoft founder. Gates met Antonova in the early 2010s. In 2017, Epstein emailed Gates, seeking reimbursement for a software coding school Antonova attended. Gates certainly comes under pressure with the new disclosures.
The email implied that Epstein could expose the affair if Gates did not maintain a connection with him, WSJ said. A spokeswoman for Gates denied any impropriety, stating that Gates met with Epstein solely for philanthropic purposes. She characterized Epstein’s actions as unsuccessful attempts to leverage a past relationship to threaten Gates. Epstein, who faced charges of sexually abusing minors and sex trafficking, passed away in 2019 while awaiting trial.
Antonova, the Russian bridge player, declined to comment on Gates and stated that she did not know about Epstein’s criminal activities when they first met.
The recent revelations shed light on the complexity of Epstein and Gates’ relationship and provide insight into Epstein’s modus operandi. During the years between his conviction and death, Epstein interacted with politicians, businessmen, academics, and celebrities, seeking personal favors and attempting to exploit connections. However, when relationships soured, he would turn against people.
Read the full WSJ report on Gates and Epstein here.
Bill Gates and Jeffrey Epstein had numerous meetings scheduled between 2011 and 2014, including dinners at Epstein’s residence and trips together. Gates learned to play bridge, one of his favorite hobbies, from his parents. A bridge enthusiast, Mila Antonova met Gates at a tournament and played against him. She later sought funding for an online bridge teaching business, and Boris Nikolic, a Gates confidant and Epstein acquaintance introduced her to Epstein. Epstein provided feedback on her proposal but did not invest in the project.
In 2014, Antonova briefly stayed at an apartment provided by Epstein but had no interaction with him or others during her stay. After her bridge venture failed to secure funding, she became a software programmer and requested financial assistance to attend a programming boot camp. Epstein agreed to pay for her education directly, citing his wealth and desire to help people when possible.
