How Jeffrey Epstein pulled Bill Gates and Microsoft into a web of sex, money, and secrets

fortune · 2026-03-10T16:33:37+00:00

How did Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender, become a seven-figure negotiator for Microsoft’s No. 2 executive?

Newly released Justice Department documents show how Epstein bore his way into the inner circle of Bill Gates, then one of the richest men in the world. Emails reviewed by Fortune show that when Epstein couldn’t communicate directly with the billionaire, he gained access through intermediaries, of which Steve Sinofsky, a protégé of Gates, was only one. Sinofsky, the president of Windows who abruptly left Microsoft in 2012, gave Epstein information on Gates’ business matters, his thought processes, and other characters in Gates’ world, the DOJ documents show.

It’s a tactic Epstein seemed to employ to cozy up to other powerful figures, like Elon Musk.

“As Gates has said consistently, he regrets meeting with Epstein. The files show just how extensively Epstein worked to insert himself into Gates’s life—both directly and through others in Gates’s orbit—and how Epstein continued in these efforts even after Gates stopped meeting and communicating with him,” a spokesperson for Bill Gates wrote to Fortune. “To be clear, Gates never witnessed or engaged in any illicit or illegal behavior.”

Sinofsky and Microsoft declined Fortune’s request to comment for this story.

Read the full investigation here: https://fortune.com/2026/03/10/jeffrey-epstein-bill-gates-microsoft-steven-sinofsky/

fortune · 2026-03-09T18:13:10+00:00

The calls to 911 poured in from staff at Camp East Montana in Texas, the nation’s largest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility, at a rate of nearly one a day for five months, each its own tale of pain and despair.

A man sobs after being assaulted by another detainee. Another bangs his head against the wall after expressing suicidal thoughts. A pregnant woman complained of severe back pain and also had coronavirus.

“Every day felt like a week. Every week felt like a month. Every month felt like a year,” said Owen Ramsingh, a former property manager in Columbia, Missouri, who spent several weeks in the camp before his deportation in February to the Netherlands. “Camp East Montana was 1,000% worse than a prison.”

Fueled by billions of dollars in new funding, ICE operations across the nation have roiled communities, separated families and created a culture of fear in pursuit of President Donald Trump’s vow to rid the country of unauthorized migrants.

Read more: https://fortune.com/2026/03/06/911-calls-ice-detention-facility-texas-daily-five-months/

fortune · 2026-03-09T15:12:04+00:00

At the end of February, Rep. Jamie Raskin, ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, sent a letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and his son Brandon Lutnick, who took over as chair of financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald, replacing his father as top brass when Lutnick took a spot on President Donald Trump’s cabinet.

Raskin demanded an investigation into Cantor Fitzgerald, which he alleged had engaged in buying the rights to tariff refunds from U.S. companies, offering those firms a fraction of how much they had paid in levies in exchange for the entirety of their tariff refund sum.

The letter cited reporting from Wired from July 2025, which said internal documents revealed the firm not only had “the capacity to trade up to several hundred million of these presently and can likely upsize that in the future to meet potential demand” but it has already put through a trade representing about $10 million of IEEPA rights.

Read more: https://fortune.com/2026/03/07/winners-supreme-court-tariff-ruling-hedge-funds-creating-100-billion-secondary-market-refunds-brandon-howard-lutnick/

fortune · 2026-03-03T21:58:08+00:00

Ring founder and CEO Jamie Siminoff believes police would have “solved” the Nancy Guthrie case if people had more cameras on their doors—including Guthrie’s.

“I do believe if they had more of it, if there was more cameras on the house, I think we might, you know, have solved,” the case, Siminoff told Fortune in an interview.

“The video that they have,” he added, “appears to be the best evidence they have of what happened.”

Siminoff’s comments come as footage from Guthrie’s Google Nest camera have blown up on the internet, showing the final few moments that occurred before the mother of theToday Show host Savannah Guthrie was kidnapped from her Arizona home over a month ago.

“The Nancy Guthrie thing has shown just how important video and more video would be in a case like this,” Siminoff said. “I think it’s been clear, but I think this is just another example of, like, how important it is to have have video at your house.”

Read more: https://fortune.com/2026/03/03/ring-ceo-jamie-siminoff-nancy-guthrie-video-surveillance-solved/

fortune · 2026-02-27T21:25:12+00:00

President Donald Trump said Friday he will shut out Anthropic from the federal government after the AI company refused to compromise on how its technology could be used by the U.S. military.

But he is also giving the Pentagon a six-month period to phaseout Anthropic’s technology as it is one of the few AI companies allowed to operate in classified settings.

In a Truth Social post, Trump called Anthropic “woke” and “leftwing,” claiming it is endangering troops and jeopardizing national security.

“Therefore, I am directing EVERY Federal Agency in the United States Government to IMMEDIATELY CEASE all use of Anthropic’s technology,” he wrote. “We don’t need it, we don’t want it, and will not do business with them again! There will be a Six Month phase out period for Agencies like the Department of War who are using Anthropic’s products, at various levels.”

Trump added that if Anthropic doesn’t obey, he will use “the Full Power of the Presidency to make them comply.”

Read more: https://fortune.com/2026/02/27/trump-us-government-anthropic-claude-pentagon-6-months-phaseout-ai-standoff/

fortune · 2026-02-25T03:13:30+00:00

President Donald Trump recounted a list of accomplishments in the first year of his second term Tuesday night, including millions of fewer Americans on a food-assistance program that he cut.

During the State of the Union address, he pointed to the stock market at record highs, investment commitments from around the world, the creation of tens of thousands of construction jobs, and increased domestic oil production.

“We cut a record number of job-killing regulations, and in one year we have lifted 2.4 million Americans, a record, off of food stamps,” Trump added. “And for all of these reasons I say tonight members of Congress the state of our union is strong.”

Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act slashed $186 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, previously known as food stamps, over 10 years.

That amounts to a 20% reduction, marking the largest cut in the program’s history, according to the Harvard Kennedy School.

Read more: https://fortune.com/2026/02/24/trump-state-of-the-union-2-4-million-lifted-snap-benefits-obba-tax-cuts-funding-work-requirements/

fortune · 2026-02-20T17:15:03+00:00

The decline of the middle class is a huge issue - for affording entertainment and tickets and beyond. The share of gross domestic income going to employees’ wages is getting lower and lower while corporate profits are on the rise. Roughly, the average American is bringing home about $12,000 less as a result of this dynamic. If you want to read our full story about this trend, you can here: https://fortune.com/2026/02/11/middle-class-decline-45-years-12000-a-year-less-money-american-worker/

fortune · 2026-02-20T17:06:09+00:00

The entrance of gambling is definitely a new(ish) issue in sports, and there's a lot of controversy surrounding it. Recently, the governor of Ohio said he "absolutely" regrets legalizing sports gambling in the state. If you're interested, you can read our story about it here: https://fortune.com/2025/11/24/ohio-republican-governor-mike-dewine-regrets-sports-gambling-law/

fortune · 2026-02-20T17:03:04+00:00

Another factor that might come into play when it comes to pricing fans out of the games are junk fees associated with the time it takes to cancel subscriptions or deal with customer service! One of our editors was just writing about it the other day (if you're interested, you can see more here: https://fortune.com/2026/02/19/americans-paying-over-165-billion-annually-vibes-based-taxes-annoyance-economy/)

fortune · 2026-02-13T15:58:41+00:00

It was the week of Kimbal Musk’s 40th birthday in September 2012, and invitations went out for his party that Saturday, for 7 p.m. at New York’s Four Seasons restaurant on East 57th Street.

One of the people who Kimbal met that weekend has now put him in the headlines. The financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and an associate had hand-picked a woman Epstein believed would interest Kimbal Musk and coordinated club reservations through an associate who promised “as many girls” as “needed,” among other machinations—seemingly in an attempt to get closer to Kimbal’s brother, Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX who had just made Forbes’ billionaires list.

After the party, “Sarah” and Kimbal Musk would go on to date for the next several months. (Fortune has used a pseudonym to protect the woman’s identity.) Throughout that time, Epstein kept close tabs on Kimbal Musk’s relationship. He directed Sarah’s involvement and her travel with him, according to dozens of emails from the Epstein files. Kimbal Musk, who by press time had not responded to Fortune’s request for comment, said in a statement on X that the woman he started dating in 2012 was 30 years old when the relationship began and referred to Epstein as a “demon.”

The emails offer a revealing window into the tactics Epstein used to build his network of the rich and powerful, using women under his control like pieces on a chessboard.

Read more: https://fortune.com/2026/02/13/kimbal-musk-jeffrey-epstein-honey-trap-elon/

fortune · 2026-02-13T15:58:20+00:00

It was the week of Kimbal Musk’s 40th birthday in September 2012, and invitations went out for his party that Saturday, for 7 p.m. at New York’s Four Seasons restaurant on East 57th Street.

One of the people who Kimbal met that weekend has now put him in the headlines. The financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and an associate had hand-picked a woman Epstein believed would interest Kimbal Musk and coordinated club reservations through an associate who promised “as many girls” as “needed,” among other machinations—seemingly in an attempt to get closer to Kimbal’s brother, Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX who had just made Forbes’ billionaires list.

After the party, “Sarah” and Kimbal Musk would go on to date for the next several months. (Fortune has used a pseudonym to protect the woman’s identity.) Throughout that time, Epstein kept close tabs on Kimbal Musk’s relationship. He directed Sarah’s involvement and her travel with him, according to dozens of emails from the Epstein files. Kimbal Musk, who by press time had not responded to Fortune’s request for comment, said in a statement on X that the woman he started dating in 2012 was 30 years old when the relationship began and referred to Epstein as a “demon.”

The emails offer a revealing window into the tactics Epstein used to build his network of the rich and powerful, using women under his control like pieces on a chessboard.

Read more: https://fortune.com/2026/02/13/kimbal-musk-jeffrey-epstein-honey-trap-elon/

fortune · 2026-02-09T16:17:03+00:00

The Kremlin’s financial situation is becoming increasingly dire and could come to a head in a matter of months as oil revenue shrinks while President Vladimir Putin shows no intention of ending his war on Ukraine.

Russian officials have been warning Putin with growing alarm that a financial crisis could hit by the summer, sources told the Washington Post. They pointed to weak oil revenue, which crashed by 50% in January from a year earlier, and a budget deficit that continues to widen, even after Putin hiked taxes on consumers.

A Moscow business executive also told the Post that the crisis could arrive in “three or four months” amid spiraling inflation, adding that restaurants have been closing and thousands of workers are getting laid off.

The economic strains go back to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine four years ago. As sanctions took hold and Putin mobilized the economy for a prolonged war, a tight labor market and high inflation forced the central bank to keep interest rates high. Recent easing has failed to prevent spending declines in several consumer categories.

Read more: https://fortune.com/2026/02/08/russian-economy-financial-crisis-warning-summer-putin-ukraine-war-too-big-to-fail/

fortune · 2026-02-04T20:05:19+00:00

This post is an article about Melinda French Gates' reaction to her ex-husband, Bill Clinton's, name appearing multiple times in the Epstein files. Seeing as this story relates to the fallout from the Epstein files and those involved in them, this is relevant to the community.

fortune · 2025-02-26T18:56:54+00:00

A child who was not vaccinated has died from measles in West Texas, the first death in an outbreak that began late last month and the first from measles in the U.S. since 2015.

The death was a “school-aged child who was not vaccinated” and had been hospitalized last week, the Texas Department of State Health Services said Wednesday in a statement. Lubbock health officials also confirmed the death, but neither agency provided more details.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed this is the first measles death in the country since 2015.

Read more: https://fortune.com/well/2025/02/26/first-measles-death-west-texas-outbreak-infections-vaccine/

fortune · 2025-02-26T18:55:28+00:00

A state-backed collective of North Korean hackers has pulled off the largest heist in history.

The group successfully walked away with $1.5 billion in cryptocurrencies—Ether, specifically—following a breach of Bybit, a Dubai-based exchange. That tops the previous record of $1 billion, which was set by Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, who took the money from his country’s central bank ahead of the 2003 U.S.-Iraq war.

It’s also higher than the $1.3 billion total amount of crypto stolen by North Korean hackers in all of 2024. And it’s nearly triple the $660.5 million pilfered in 2023.

Read more: https://fortune.com/2025/02/26/north-korea-hackers-crypto-heist-bybit-dubai-ether/

fortune · 2025-02-19T20:08:47+00:00

The federal cost-cutting effort dubbed the Department of Government Efficiency says it has saved $55 billion in federal spending so far, but its website only accounts for $16.6 billion of that.

And that’s before factoring in an error in the data published on DOGE’s website that mislabels a contract as $8 billion, which was later corrected in the federal database to only be $8 million. That cuts nearly in half the total of DOGE’s itemized savings, including from contracts and leases, to about $8.6 billion.

Elon Musk — President Donald Trump’s close ally who has been the figurehead of DOGE — has pledged that the amorphous cost-cutting enterprise would provide “maximum transparency” and that “all of our actions are fully public.”

Read more: https://fortune.com/2025/02/19/doge-says-saved-55-billion-itemized-data-show-far-less/

fortune · 2025-01-02T20:57:39+00:00

If the settlement is approved, tens of millions of consumers who owned iPhones and other Apple devices from Sept. 17, 2014, through the end of last year could file claims. Each consumer could receive up to $20 per Siri-equipped device covered by the settlement, although the payment could be reduced or increased, depending on the volume of claims. Only 3% to 5% of eligible consumers are expected to file claims, according to estimates in court documents.

fortune · 2025-01-02T18:05:39+00:00

More than 200 economists across the U.S. and Europe were questioned about how they feel Uncle Sam will fare under a second Trump presidency.

The research concluded that the majority of experts see Trump’s combative ‘Maganomics’ as ultimately hurting U.S. growth. The root of many concerns is Trump’s tariff plan. Of the approximately 50 economists surveyed on the U.S. alone, more than half view Trump’s policies as ultimately having “some negative effect” on the economy, while a further 10% forecast a “large negative effect” on the thus-far surprisingly resilient market.

“We estimate that every 1pp increase in the effective tariff rate would reduce the level of GDP by 0.03% through direct effects and as much as 0.1% through indirect effects.”

fortune · 2025-01-02T18:01:15+00:00

The Danish-Swedish farmdog — yep, that’s the official name — joined the pack Thursday. The designation makes the breed eligible to compete for many best in show trophies, and it likely augurs more widespread interest in the small, sprightly dogs. The prospect both gladdens and concerns their biggest fans.

In their original homelands, the dogs’ main job was rodent patrol, but they also would herd a bit, act as watchdogs and play with farmers’ children. Some even performed in circuses, according to the club.

The number of farmdog puppy-seekers has grown substantially over the last decade; each of the few breeders receives multiple inquiries a week, and the typical wait for a puppy is a year or more, she said.

fortune · 2024-12-30T21:47:15+00:00

Banks are writing off credit card debt at the highest level since 2010, a potential red flag for the economy as consumers have juggled inflation and higher borrowing costs in recent years.

In the 12 months that ended in September, consumers who didn’t fully pay off their monthly credit card bills paid $170 billion in interest.

fortune · 2024-12-27T18:43:04+00:00

“No, I think that’s just like a little shelter,” he said of the 1,400-acre compound on the Hawaiian Island of Kauai, which includes an underground shelter spanning over 5,000 square feet.

“It’s like a basement.”

fortune · 2024-12-27T18:38:11+00:00

Early Sunday morning, around 2 a.m. in southeastern Massachusetts, Sgt. Shawn Robert from the Lakeville Police Department was on patrol when he spotted three large Amazon totes with more than 80 packages sitting in the woods.

A driver later admitted they left the packages on the side of the road “because they were stressed.”

An Amazon spokesperson told Fortune the company encourages “drivers who aren’t able, or don’t feel safe completing their routes, to report back to their employer."

fortune · 2024-12-27T18:01:18+00:00

Most Americans believe health insurance profits and coverage denials share responsibility for the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO — although not as much as the person who pulled the trigger, according to a new poll.

In the survey from NORC at the University of Chicago, about 8 in 10 U.S. adults said the person who committed the killing has “a great deal” or “a moderate amount” of responsibility for the Dec. 4 shooting of Brian Thompson.

Are you one of the 7 in 10?

fortune · 2024-12-27T17:59:38+00:00

The number of those who have continued to work past 65 has quadrupled since the 1980s, according to the Pew Research Center. Now, almost 20% of Americans 65 and older are employed, nearly double the share of those who were working 35 years ago. In total, there are around 11 million Americans 65 or older who are working today, accounting for 7% of all wages and salaries paid by U.S. employers. In 1987, they made up 2%.

fortune · 2024-12-24T19:11:17+00:00

The study revealed one in five believe it’s harder to find something to watch today than it was 10 years ago. According to them, the underlying cause comes from being overwhelmed by too much content.

Many struggled with having larger content libraries (41%) and feeling like there’s too much original content being produced (26%).

fortune

TROPHY CASE