The Microsoft co-founder was about to part ways with Boris Nikolic in 2013.
Melinda Gates mentions Bill Gates Epstein’s photo files on NPR podcast
In a preview of an upcoming episode of NPR’s podcast “Wild Cards,” Melinda French Gates noticed what she called “the elephant in the room.”
Newly released documents reveal that Jeffrey Epstein tried to mediate a feud between Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and billionaire adviser Boris Nikolic in 2013.
In response to the scandal, Mr. Epstein wrote an email to himself specifically alleging that Mr. Gates and his aides had abused him, even though they had a very close friendship, and that he had once helped procure antibiotics to treat a sexually transmitted disease he contracted from a “Russian girl.”
In the messages, it is unclear whether Mr. Epstein is writing on his own behalf or whether he is drafting something in the voice of Mr. Nikolic, a doctor and investor close to Mr. Epstein. Emails reviewed by USA TODAY show that Mr. Epstein acted as an intermediary between Mr. Nikolic, who was an adviser to Mr. Gates, and a man named Larry Cohen, who is also the name of the head of an organization called Gates Ventures.
The emails show that Gates’ relationship with Epstein, then a convicted sex offender, went beyond philanthropy. These came to light after previous releases from the Epstein Foundation, which included technology entrepreneurs. Previously released documents from Epstein’s files show Gates in photos with women with his face obscured, photos with Epstein’s pilots and photos with former Prince Andrew taken years before he was stripped of his official duties and royal titles.
Bridget Arnold, a spokeswoman for Gates, said the information contained in the latest email was “completely irrational and completely false” created by a “proven disgruntled liar.” A spokesperson said Bill Gates denied any wrongdoing related to Epstein or any “horrendous activities” in which he was involved.
“The only thing these documents show is Mr. Epstein’s dissatisfaction with not having an ongoing relationship with Mr. Gates and the extent to which he entraps and slanders him,” a spokesperson for Mr. Gates said.
Inside Gates’ dealings with Epstein and Nikolic
Gates was mentioned in messages from at least 2010 to 2019, according to a review by USA TODAY. From 2011 to 2014, Mr. Gates sent emails directly to Mr. Epstein, often with either copying Mr. Cohen or Mr. Nikolic. In other emails, Gates is only mentioned to attend potential meetings and is not copied.
Epstein’s relationship with Nikolic dates back to at least January 2010. Previously released emails showed the two discussing a meeting in Switzerland, where Nikolic said he met some of Epstein’s friends, including President Bill Clinton and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, now known as King Charles’ brother.
“I was just flirting with a sexy 22-year-old blonde, blue-eyed Mexican woman,” Nikolic wrote. “It turned out that she was with her husband. We didn’t have a chance to check on him. But as we concluded, anything good is rented ;)”.
Nikolic did not respond to USA TODAY’s request for comment.
It’s unclear how Mr. Nikolic became involved in Mr. Gates’ finances, but in a February 2011 email, Mr. Epstein told Mr. Nikolic that he should have a more formal title in his relationship with Mr. Gates. He then proposes ideas such as “Bill Gates Investments”, “Bill Gates Investments”, and the president of “Bill Gates Holdings”.
In June 2013, Nikolic invites Gates to Crazy Horse, a famous burlesque cabaret theater in Paris. Gates replied, “I’m too tired to do this, and I don’t want to take any risks. I would have done it when I was younger, but I guess I’ll have to stop this time!”
As shown in a July 1, 2013 email, Gates wrote to Nikolic: “We should meet on Wednesday to discuss your work. You need a transfer. I’m very sorry, but I don’t see a way around it. With some planning, we can ensure a smooth and positive transfer.”
Nikolic responded with an emotional plea on July 2, 2013: “I haven’t slept or eaten normally for a while. And even though I can’t stop thinking that I didn’t do anything wrong, it seems like I’ll have to pay for it for the rest of my life. I have been and will always be a loyal friend and employee, and I will do anything for you.”
On July 11, 2013, Gates sent an email to Epstein stating that Cohen was authorized to speak with Epstein about Nikolic’s employment.
Mr. Cohen and Mr. Nikolic exchanged emails to finalize the deal, and Mr. Epstein said he was involved but did not negotiate on Mr. Nikolic’s behalf. “To be clear, I am not acting in any capacity other than as a friend of Boris and Bill.”
A few days later, on July 18, 2013, Epstein wrote two emails to himself, in one of which he referred to himself as “Boris.” The background appears to be an employment dispute between Mr. Gates and Mr. Nikolic, which also includes allegations that Mr. Gates is having an affair and that Mr. Nikolic is caught in the middle of Mr. Gates’ marital dispute.
“You have decided to fire me from your job, have your publicist Larry tell you that I have acted morally inappropriately, and in order to maintain the reputation you have worked so hard to earn, you have asked me to be the lead in the cover-up,” Epstein wrote in one of the emails.
Email claims ‘Russian woman’, extramarital affair, ‘morally inappropriate’ and ‘ethically unsound’
In a second email dated July 18, 2013, Epstein, presumably writing as Nikolic, said he was resigning from BG3, a think tank founded by Gates that was later renamed Gates Ventures, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
“For the past few weeks, I have been involved in a serious marital dispute between Melinda and Bill,” Epstein wrote. “I have the utmost respect for my friend of seven years, and I wish them both well.
“In my role as his right-hand man, I was repeatedly asked (sic) to wrongfully acquiesce in participating in a variety of matters that, in retrospect, ranged from the morally inappropriate to the ethically unsound, and to do other things that bordered on illegality or could cross the line.”
Those missions included obtaining drugs so Gates could deal with the consequences of having sex with a Russian woman, “facilitating illegal trysts with married women,” and being asked to provide Adderall for a bridge tournament, according to the email.
On August 1, 2013, Epstein sent an email to Cohen and Gates identifying matters that should be addressed in a potential agreement. Mr Epstein asked for “broader permissions” on the issues at hand beyond “the hiring of Boris”.
The email then asks whether Bill and Melinda French Gates will sign it and whether the one-year severance agreement is representative of the couple’s position. “If Melinda wants a divorce, how will Boris protect himself?” Epstein added.
Melinda French Gates, who divorced Gates after eight years, told National Public Radio in a podcast interview published on February 3 that the revelations about her ex-husband caused her “incredible sadness,” but said it was her responsibility to answer the questions Epstein’s files raise.
Gates said in an interview with an Australian television network on February 4 that he met Epstein in 2011 and remained in touch for about three years. He said the focus was always on Mr. Epstein’s connections to wealthy clients who could support his global philanthropy.
“It appears that Jeffrey wrote the email to himself,” Gates said. “That email was never sent. That email was false. So I don’t know what he was thinking. Was he trying to attack me in some way? But then I remembered, I regret every minute I spent with him. And I apologize for doing that.”
Nikolic and Gates try to repair their relationship
Additional emails indicate that Mr. Gates and Mr. Nikolic continue to try to resolve their employment dispute. Mr. Gates continued to email Mr. Epstein directly until December 2014, and Mr. Cohen continued to correspond with Mr. Epstein until 2019, months after the Miami Herald published an explosive investigation into Mr. Epstein.
“Larry Cohen was asked to negotiate and manage the separation agreement with Mr. Nikolic and was clearly dissatisfied with Mr. Epstein’s efforts to become more broadly and directly involved,” Gates Ventures spokesman Arnold said in a statement. “Epstein’s hostility toward Cohen is clear in the documents, and Epstein viewed Cohen as an impediment to Epstein’s access to Gates. After his separation from Nikolic, Epstein’s continued communications to Cohen were one-sided and unrequited.”
On August 10, 2013, Epstein emailed Gates to check on his dispute with Nikolic and invited Gates to Santa Fe, New Mexico, and to a dinner in New York in September. Mr. Epstein added, “Of course, Melinda is welcome to come, if you wish.” (Epstein owns a property called Zorro Ranch an hour away from Santa Fe, as well as properties in New York City, where the women allege he was abused.)
Gates responded the same day, saying, “Thank you for your help.” “I don’t know how to say it too strongly. I think we’re on a good track right now.”
Mr. Gates and Mr. Epstein continued to exchange several emails regarding Mr. Nikolic’s agreement through August 2013, which seemed to suggest that mediation between the Microsoft co-founder and Mr. Nikolic had not worked.
Gates wrote to Epstein on August 27, 2013, “It would be too bad if Boris decided that he had changed his mind about what we agreed to when you visited our office.” As discussed, if someone asks for more, there is no end to it. Boris can publish whatever he wants at that point, and I will explain to the appropriate people what was done to me and by whom.”
Cohen’s LinkedIn profile still lists him as the CEO of Gates Ventures, and he continued to email Epstein for years after the dispute. USA TODAY reached out to Cohen via Gates Ventures for comment via email.
The group pointed to a 2019 statement from Gates’ spokesperson Arnold: “Although Epstein actively pursued Gates, Gates had no business partnership or personal friendship with Epstein. Gates never interacted with Epstein or attended any parties with him. It has become clear that Epstein misrepresented the nature of his meeting with Gates and simultaneously attempted to go behind the scenes without Gates’ knowledge.”
In January 2018, Mr. Epstein contacted Mr. Cohen to schedule a meeting between Mr. Gates and Terje Rod Larsen, then director of the International Peace Research Institute, in Davos, Switzerland.
Cohen said he did not know if the two were meeting at the time, but was looking into whether they had time to meet. (Rod Larsen resigned from the institute in 2020 due to his relationship with Epstein.)
On January 10, 2019, Cohen and Epstein exchanged emails to arrange a time for a conversation.
Six months later, on July 8, 2019, federal prosecutors indicted Epstein on sex trafficking charges. A month later he was found dead in his prison cell.
