This allegation is being investigated by a private law firm after Bill Gates’ spokesperson has acknowledged that the billionaire had an affair at Microsoft almost 20 years ago.
“Microsoft received a concern in the latter half of 2019 that Bill Gates sought to initiate an intimate relationship with a company employee in the year 2000,” said the Microsoft spokesperson.
The affair ended “amicably” and is not related to Gates’ decision to step down from the company’s board, Independent reports.
Gates and his wife of 27 years, Melinda, announced their divorce in a joint statement issued on May 3, 2021.
Members of the Microsoft board pursued an investigation into Gates’ affair after they were informed of a letter sent by a female employee in 2019.
The employee alleged that she and Gates had a sexual relationship over the years, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Several board members at Microsoft were quite concerned about it all and felt that Gates should step down from leadership roles at Microsoft, pending the outcome of an investigation, according to the report.
Bill Gates net worth is estimated at nearly $130bn.