Over the weekend, a report surfaced claiming that billionaire tech titan Bill Gates had engaged in an extramarital affair with a Russian bridge player named Mila Antonova. The alleged affair, said to have taken place while Gates was still married to his then-wife Melinda Gates, was brought to light when it was revealed that the late financier Jeffrey Epstein had threatened to expose the supposed romantic tryst. Here’s what we know so far about Mila Antonova and her alleged affair with Bill Gates.
Mila Antonova’s Background
Mila Antonova, originally from Russia, is an accomplished card player with a passion for bridge. She attended a university in her homeland from 2000 to 2005, as stated on her now-deleted LinkedIn profile. After moving to the United States, Antonova worked as a software engineer in San Francisco and also founded a bridge club at some point after her arrival. Not much is known about her family or upbringing in Russia.
How Did Mila Antonova Meet Bill Gates?
Bill Gates and Mila Antonova reportedly crossed paths in late 2009 at a bridge tournament in Washington, DC. In a video posted online in 2010, Antonova mentioned meeting Gates at the North American Bridge Championships a year earlier, where she humorously remarked, “I didn’t beat him, but I tried to kick him with my leg.”
Details of the Alleged Affair
The exact timeline and duration of the alleged romantic relationship between Gates and Antonova remain unclear. However, it is worth noting that during the supposed affair, Gates was still married to his then-wife Melinda, with whom he shares three children. The couple divorced in May 2021 after 27 years of marriage.
Mila Antonova’s Connection to Jeffrey Epstein
Antonova was introduced to Jeffrey Epstein while seeking funds to launch an online business dedicated to teaching bridge. Boris Nikolic, one of Gates’ top advisers, facilitated the introduction between Antonova and Epstein. According to documents, Antonova met Epstein at his Manhattan townhouse in November 2013, where she discussed her plans to raise $500,000 for her venture, BridgePlanet. Although Epstein provided Antonova with a New York City apartment a year later, she claims she had no interaction with him or anyone else during her stay.
Antonova stated that Epstein never ended up investing in BridgePlanet. When her plans for the online business failed, she shifted her focus to software programming and sought financial support for a programming boot camp. Epstein was among those who offered her financial assistance, stating that he wanted to help people when he could. Antonova insists that she was unaware of Epstein’s criminal background and believed him to be a successful businessman.
Jeffrey Epstein’s Involvement in the Alleged Affair
After investing in Antonova’s programming boot camp, Epstein sent an email to Gates in 2017, requesting reimbursement for an undisclosed amount. Sources claim that Epstein reached out to Gates after the Microsoft founder declined to participate in a multibillion-dollar charity that Epstein was trying to launch with JPMorgan Chase. A representative for Gates clarified that the meetings between Gates and Epstein were solely for philanthropic purposes and that Epstein attempted to leverage a past relationship to threaten Gates when his attempts to involve Gates in his charity failed. The representative emphasized that Gates never paid Epstein in response to the veiled threat and had no financial dealings with him.
Gates’ previous admissions of meeting Epstein were related to fundraising efforts for the Gates Foundation and took place after Epstein’s 2008 conviction in Florida on charges of soliciting and procuring a minor for prostitution. The exact means by which Epstein learned of the alleged affair between Gates and Antonova remains unknown. Anton
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