reveal he put forward his departure from Microsoft because they were investigating him over a love affair with an employee

Bill Gates’ divorce takes on a scandalous dimension: The Wall Street Journal this Sunday published an investigation in which he claims that the businessman should have stopped at home at Microsoft for an extramarital affair that he had with an employee of the company he founded.

According to the publication, in 2020, members of the board of directors of Microsoft Corp. decided that it was not relevant for his co-founder Gates to maintain his position on the board of directors while investigated this romantic relationship, which they considered inappropriate.

The newspaper, citing confidential sources, reported in its online edition that members of the works council hired a law firm at the end of 2019 for an investigation, after a Microsoft engineer assured in a letter who held a sexually tinged relationship with Gates for several years.

The publication reported, citing another person familiar with the case, that Gates resigned before for the board to complete its investigation.

A spokeswoman for Gates who was not identified by name admitted to the newspaper that there was a case almost 20 years ago and ended “amicably”. The spokesperson told the Journal that “her decision to gradually leave the board is in no way related to this issue.”

Announcing his departure from the Microsoft board last year, Gates said he did. to focus on his philanthropic work.

In an email sent to the agency The Associated Press On Sunday evening, Microsoft reported that “in the second half of 2019, it received reports that Bill Gates attempted to have an intimate relationship with a company employee. In 2000“.

“A board committee reviewed the information, with the help of an external law firm, to investigate full. Throughout it, Microsoft provided full support to the employee who brought the charge, ” the message continued.

Gates’ sexual behavior and his divorce

Earlier this month, Bill and Melinda Gates announced their divorce after 27 years of marriageBut they said they would continue to work together at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, one of the world’s largest charities.

Gates became the richest person on the planet, and his fortune – the fourth of a person in the world – is now estimated to exceed $ 100 billion.

Hours earlier Sunday, The New York Times reported that the billionaire had developed “a reputation for having a questionable behavior in work environments ”.

The Times reported that, at least on some occasions, Gates asked them innuendo to the women who worked for him at Microsoft and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The newspaper cited people with first-hand knowledge of his behavior.

On May 3, the disarmed couple announced their divorce by A declaration posted on Twitter.

“After working hard on our relationship, we made the decision to end our marriage. Over the past 27 years, we raised three amazing children and built a foundation that works around the world to promote healthy and productive lives. We will continue to share our beliefs in this mission and we will continue to work together in the foundation, but we no longer believe that we can grow together as a couple in this new phase of our life, ”they expressed.

Paradoxically, or maybe not, Bill met Melinda because she I was Marketing Manager at Microsoft.

For decades, the couple have been an important protagonist on the world stage and their huge charitable contributions They gave him access to the highest levels of government, the business sector and non-profit organizations.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has had immense influence in areas ranging from global health to early childhood education and has made great strides in reducing deaths from malaria and other infectious diseases.

Over the past year, the couple have been particularly visible, regularly commenting on the global fight against Covid-19, as their founder spent over $ 1 billion to fight the pandemic.

It is estimated that the divorce will have to distribute around $ 130 billion and although they do not have a prenuptial agreement, having a good relationship would not have any problems for the division of property.

According to Bill and Melinda Gates years ago, their children will only receive $ 10 million each. The rest would be given for charitable causes and scientific research.

With AP information

DB / DS