In many ways, this might be the least surprising story of the century. After all, who would be surprised at the idea that a computer nerd, who suddenly finds himself the richest man in the world, might develop a taste for the ladies?
The New York Times reports that Gates had at least one affair, two decades ago, that came to light:
In 2019, Microsoft’s board of directors, on which Mr. Gates sat, opened an investigation into one of those cases after being notified that he had “sought to initiate an intimate relationship with a company employee in the year 2000,” Frank X. Shaw, a Microsoft spokesman, said on Sunday. The board hired a law firm to investigate. The following year, Mr. Gates stepped down from Microsoft’s board. The Wall Street Journal reported the 2000 incident and the board’s investigation.
“There was an affair almost 20 years ago which ended amicably,” said Bridgitt Arnold, a spokeswoman for Mr. Gates. “Gates’s decision to transition off the board was in no way related to this matter.”
That, though, was by no means the only incident. The Times reports that Gates approached women – all the reports involving women who were his own employees – in 2006, and 2008. “Mr. Gates was known for making clumsy approaches to women in and out of the office. His behaviour fuelled widespread chatter among employees about his personal life”, the paper says.
That is not where it ends though. If there is one name you probably do not want mentioned in connection with your own, these days, it is surely this one:
For years, Mr. Gates continued to go to dinners and meetings at Mr. Epstein’s home, where Mr. Epstein usually surrounded himself with young and attractive women, said two people who were there and two others who were told about the gatherings.
On at least one occasion, Mr. Gates remarked in Mr. Epstein’s presence that he was unhappy in his marriage, according to people who heard the comments.
It is not hard, then, to get a full picture of why Mrs. Gates may have decided that it was time to call it quits. And we can add Bill’s name to the list of extraordinarily powerful men that appear to have been enticed into Jeffrey Epstein’s orbit. It adds a little bit more credibility to the theory – and it is only a theory – that has been floating around for some time about Epstein, who seemed to make millions of dollars without ever having a financial client identified, that he was blackmailing rich and powerful men by luring them with sex.
Some of the cause for this disclosure, of course, will be the usual PR-war between divorcees that tends to erupt when rich and famous Americans decide to pull the plug on their marriages. But notably, these accusations – the ones relating to extra-marital affairs and repeated advances made on women working for him – appear to have been corroborated by a major newspaper. The difficulty for Gates is that it is not very hard, at all, for such allegations to swiftly spiral into accusations of sexual harassment, exploitation, and worse. We live in the #metoo era now, which makes this story, and the noises around Gates, worth watching.