Bill Gates, 70, told a closed hearing of the U.S. House Oversight Committee on June 10 that convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein used details of his private life in an attempt to pressure him. The transcript, released this week, says Epstein learned the identities of women with whom Gates had extramarital affairs and tried to use that information as leverage.
Gates identified two of the women as Mila Antonova, a Russian bridge player he met at a tournament, and Karima Nigmattulina, a Russian nuclear scientist. He also confirmed that the London meeting known to his former associate, Dr. Boris Nikolic, involved Nigmattulina. Gates said the affairs were unrelated to Epstein, but that Epstein later mixed real personal details with false claims in an effort to force contact after their relationship soured.
According to Gates, his ties to Epstein began in 2011, three years after Epstein pleaded guilty to soliciting a minor for prostitution. Gates said he knew Epstein had legal problems but did not understand the full extent of his crimes. He said their meetings were about philanthropy, because Epstein claimed he could raise billions for global health projects. Gates said the relationship ended in December 2014 when he realized Epstein would not deliver on his promises. He added that Epstein had tried to get him to reconnect and, in 2015, demanded repayment for expenses tied to Antonova, which Gates interpreted as possible extortion.
The transcript also refers to an email draft Epstein allegedly wrote in 2013, in Nikolic’s voice, containing explosive claims about Gates, including sex with Russian women, arranging encounters with married women, and requests for Adderall and antibiotics. Gates denied all of it, saying he never had a sexually transmitted disease, never secretly gave anyone medication, and never asked for emails to be deleted. He said that if Epstein or Nikolic believed he had an STD, it may have been a way to “squeeze someone.” The committee also released testimony from Leslie Groff, Epstein’s former senior assistant, who called him a “manipulator and a con artist” and said she arranged sporadic calls with Donald Trump. The publication does not accuse Gates of any crime.
