Bill Gates crafted a public image as a likable, nerdy do-gooder. Office affairs, ‘uncomfortable’ workplace behavior, and Epstein ties reveal cracks in his facade.

Gates’ image as an amiable, generous philanthropist does not gel with new information on his links to Epstein and dubious office romances.

Bill Gates. Photo: Courtesy of the Gates Foundation

By Cheryl Teh

For decades, Bill Gates has crafted the public persona of a nerdy but pleasant philanthropist. In contrast with the likes of Tesla’s Elon Musk and Twitter’s Jack Dorsey, Gates was likable, relatable, nonthreatening.

Gates continued to cultivate this personality — pledging to give away half his wealth through The Giving Pledge and investing heavily in healthcare and addressing the climate crisis through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation — as his money multiplied.

But new reports about the tech founder in the wake of his pending divorce from his wife of 27 years offer a less flattering picture of the man. Reports from The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal indicate Gates, at times, treated the workplace like a pickup spot, making advances toward women who worked for him.

Several employees told The Times he engaged in “clumsy” and “questionable” workplace behavior. They also said he could be “dismissive” of his wife…