Bill Gates admitted having an affair with a female Microsoft employee in 2000
The employee, a Microsoft engineer, wrote to the company board in 2019 and asked that Gates estranged wife read her letter
Gates resigned suddenly from the Microsoft board in 2020 after the company initiated an independent investigation by a law firm
A spokeswoman for Gates said his decision to leave the board had nothing to do with the affair
The Wall Street Journal report came out a short time after revelations emerged that Gates had asked out two female staff members
Melinda French Gates, was also upset at the handling of sexual harassment allegations against her husband s key moneyman Michael Larson
Long before divorce, Bill Gates had reputation for questionable behaviour
16 May, 2021 09:24 PM
10 minutes to read
A spokeswoman for Bill Gates said claims that he mistreated employees were false. Photo / AP
New York Times
By: Emily Flitter and Matthew Goldstein
Melinda French Gates voiced concerns about her husband s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and a harassment claim against his money manager. By the time Melinda French Gates decided to end her 27-year marriage, her husband was known globally as a software pioneer, a billionaire and a leading philanthropist.
But in some circles, Bill Gates had also developed a reputation for questionable conduct in work-related settings. That is attracting new scrutiny amid the breakup of one of the world s richest, most powerful couples.
Bill Gates crafted a public image as a likable, nerdy do-gooder, but there were cracks in his facade May 17, 2021, 09:52 AM
facebook
Courtesy of the Gates Foundation
For years, Bill Gates has forged a nerdy, likable public image, with his many philanthropic efforts.
This persona, in contrast with the more outspoken, eccentric billionaires of his time, made him more relatable.
But his advances toward female employees, his hiring of dubious characters to manage his money, and links to Jeffrey Epstein have revealed a darker side to him.
For decades, Bill Gates has crafted the public persona of a nerdy but pleasant philanthropist. In contrast with the likes of Tesla s Elon Musk and Twitter s Jack Dorsey, Gates was likable, relatable, non-threatening.