Exclusive: The breakup of Bill and Melinda Gates’s marriage is shedding new light on an open secret within Microsoft and his foundation: Gates has at times behaved badly in work-related settings.
Among our findings:
• Gates asked Microsoft and foundation subordinates out on dates.
• His money manager was accused of sexual harassment; Gates agreed to a secret settlement.
• His relationship with Jeffrey Epstein went on longer than previously known.
A couple of examples of Bill Gates's inappropriate workplace conduct.
Here is what Bill Gates's people say in his defense.
“Microsoft received a concern in the latter half of 2019 that Bill Gates sought to initiate an intimate relationship relationship with a company employee in the year 2000.”
Well, this might take the cake for the most creative explanation for why a billionaire was hanging out with Epstein.
Our original story has now been updated to match @WSJ's reporting about Microsoft's board investigating a report that Gates tried to have an intimate relationship with a company employee. nytimes.com/2021/05/16/bus…
Breaking: Leon Black paid $150 million to Jeffrey Epstein – more than twice as much as was previously known. Following an attempted boardroom coup, he will step down as CEO of private-equity firm Apollo. @MattGoldstein26@katierosmannytimes.com/2021/01/25/bus…
The $150M figure means Leon Black was almost singlehandedly supporting Epstein for years before he died.
This news is a direct result of 18+ months of dogged reporting by @nytimes@MattGoldstein26, whose stories led Apollo to launch an outside review of Black’s ties to Epstein.
In particular, this front-page story in October – which showed Black had secretly provided at least $75M to Epstein – led to an outcry among some of Apollo’s clients and prompted the company's board to open an investigation. nytimes.com/2020/10/12/bus…
Breaking: Justice Dept is about to penalize @DeutscheBank for violating anti-bribery laws as it tried to win business in places like China. The bank is expected to pay more than $100 million in penalties. nytimes.com/2021/01/08/bus…
The charges involve Deutsche's efforts to win business in China (and possibly other countries), where the bank for years doled out lavish gifts and huge amounts of money to Chinese insiders.
Deutsche and DOJ are expected to enter into a so-called deferred prosecution agreement.
It is very noteworthy that this settlement is coming in the dying days of @realDonaldTrump's presidency.
He owes the bank more than $300M, which he personally guaranteed and is coming due soon. There is no avoiding the appearance of a conflict of interest here.
BREAKING: Rosemary Vrablic, the longtime @DeutscheBank official who oversaw the @realDonaldTrump relationship, has abruptly handed in her resignation from the bank, I'm told. She's leaving effective 12/31. nytimes.com/2020/12/22/bus…
The exact reasons for Vrablic's departure – as well as the resignation of her longtime associate, Dominic Scalzi – aren't clear.
She doesn't have a new job lined up. She says she is leaving voluntarily and is looking forward to retirement.
Vrablic has been under intense scrutiny because of her role facilitating huge loans to Trump and Kushners.
Deutsche has been conducting a months-long internal review of a 2013 real estate deal involving her and a company part-owned by Jared Kushner.
Here is @PorterWright resigning from the Trump case.
And here's our story on this –>
The law firm leading the Trump campaign’s efforts to cast doubt on the presidential election results in Pennsylvania has abruptly withdrawn from a suit it filed just days earlier. nytimes.com/2020/11/13/bus…
One of the firms, Jones Day, is among the country's biggest.
Partners there have been grumbling about the close relationship with the Trump admin, where many partners have taken senior roles (incl Don McGahn).
Jones Day has earned $20M working for Trump and GOP in recent years.
In the hour since this article was published, the Trump campaign has filed a new federal lawsuit in Pennsylvania alleging voter fraud.
It was filed by Porter Wright, one of the firms where some lawyers are voicing ethical concerns about working for Trump. cdn.donaldjtrump.com/public-files/p…