SUMMARY

• Bill Gates was allegedly blackmailed by Jeffrey Epstein over a supposed affair with a Russian bridge player, according to U.S. media reports.
• Epstein, seeking Gates' endorsement for his charity, threatened to publicize the affair when Gates rejected his proposal.
• Despite these allegations, Gates' representative firmly maintains that the tech magnate had no financial interactions with Epstein.

Allegations have surfaced suggesting that the infamous financier and convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein, once blackmailed tech mogul Bill Gates, over a purported affair with a Russian bridge enthusiast in her prime years. According to American media reports, Epstein's leverage was intended to cajole Gates into endorsing a charity that Epstein had initiated.

Jeffrey Epstein, who committed suicide in 2019 while serving his prison sentence, had hoped to gain Gates' support for his charitable endeavour. Gates, however, rebuffed the proposition. In response, Epstein brandished the alleged affair as a weapon, threatening to publicize it unless Gates complied. This narrative was initially shared by the Wall Street Journal.

"A philanthropic cause was the only reason Mr. Gates agreed to meet with Epstein," explained a representative for the Microsoft co-founder. When Epstein's attempts to draw Gates into other areas repeatedly fell short, he resorted to exploiting a previous relationship as a pressure point against Gates. "Mr. Gates had no financial dealings with Epstein," the representative added for clarity.

The billionaire tech tycoon, a passionate bridge player, met Mila Antonova at a 2010 tournament. Antonova, who founded a Bay Area bridge club, suggested a venture that involved online bridge tutorials. Epstein, introduced by Boris Nikolic, a close Gates confidant and scientific advisor, was considered a potential investor.

Following a meeting at Epstein's townhouse in November 2013, Epstein declined to invest in BridgePlanet, Antonova's proposed project. Instead, he sponsored her shift to computer programming, covering the cost of her training. Antonova, who was unaware of Epstein's criminal background during their meeting, has refrained from commenting on Gates but voiced her abhorrence for Epstein's deeds.

Nikolic, the catalyst behind Antonova's introduction to Epstein, had also explored philanthropic ventures with Epstein. They were considering the establishment of a multibillion-dollar charitable fund in collaboration with JPMorgan. Epstein viewed this fund as an opportunity to refurbish his tarnished reputation and heavily relied on the perceived endorsement from Gates to drive its success.

However, the charity never saw the light of day. Epstein, in a 2017 letter to Gates, indirectly hinted at the alleged affair and hinted at exposing it. The sum demanded in the letter was not significant, but the veiled threat it carried held substantial weight. Gates, whose interactions with Epstein have since been acknowledged as a lapse in judgment, and Nikolic, who deeply regrets his involvement with Epstein, have expressed their condolences to Epstein's victims.

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