Bill Gates' Secret Affair with Russian Bridge Player Mila Antonova Linked to Epstein

The Microsoft co-founder's relationship with Antonova was used by Jeffrey Epstein to threaten the billionaire philanthropist.

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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A scandal has emerged involving Bill Gates, a Russian bridge player named Mila Antonova, and the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. Gates, the Microsoft co-founder, met Antonova around 2010 at a National Bridge tournament in Washington, D.C. Their relationship eventually led to Epstein providing financial support to Antonova, which he later used to threaten Gates in an attempt to get the billionaire to join one of Epstein's ventures.

Why it matters

This scandal has heavily damaged Gates' public image and increased scrutiny over his past relationships, particularly his controversial connection to the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The revelations also highlight the wide-reaching damage caused by Epstein's manipulative network.

The details

Gates, who was still married to Melinda French Gates at the time, met the then-20-something Antonova at a bridge tournament in 2010. Their relationship evolved, and in 2013, Epstein's adviser introduced Antonova to the disgraced financier to help fund her online bridge tutorial business. When that venture failed to materialize, Epstein paid for Antonova to attend a software coding school, which led to her becoming a software engineer in the Bay Area. Years later, Epstein allegedly used his knowledge of the affair to threaten Gates, demanding reimbursement for the coding course costs. Gates refused to pay, and the scandal eventually became public, contributing to his divorce from Melinda French Gates.

  • Gates and Antonova first met at a National Bridge tournament in Washington, D.C. around 2010.
  • Epstein's adviser introduced Antonova to the disgraced financier in November 2013 to help fund her online bridge tutorial business.
  • In 2017, Epstein emailed Gates demanding reimbursement for the cost of Antonova's coding course, using the affair as leverage.
  • Gates and Melinda French Gates finalized their divorce on August 2, 2021, with the split largely blamed on his controversial connection to Epstein.

The players

Bill Gates

The co-founder of Microsoft, with a net worth of over £100 billion ($125 billion).

Mila Antonova

A Russian bridge player and software engineer who had a secret romantic relationship with Bill Gates.

Jeffrey Epstein

The disgraced financier who provided financial support to Antonova and later used knowledge of her affair with Gates to threaten the billionaire.

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What they’re saying

“Antonova strongly maintained that she had absolutely no knowledge of Epstein's criminal activities when they interacted. She described him as a wealthy businessman who simply wanted to 'help others'.”

— Mila Antonova (ibtimes.co.uk)

What’s next

A spokesperson for Bill Gates stated that he never paid the requested reimbursement to Epstein and deeply regretted his meetings with the disgraced financier.

The takeaway

This scandal highlights the far-reaching consequences of Epstein's manipulative network and the damage it can cause to the reputations of even the wealthiest and most powerful individuals, like Bill Gates.