Bill Gates flirting emails to female employee: Microsoft chief was warned in 2008

Bill Gates, one of the richest men in the world, flirted via emails with a female employee and the same has hit the spotlight again with some new revelations. Gates was caught sending these flirtatious emails to a woman employee way back in 2008 and he was warned by Microsoft to cease and desist as these were deemed inappropriate. However, since there was no physical contact, the whole thing was dropped. Notably, Gates exit from Microsoft in 2020 happened in the wake of an affair with an employee 20 years before.

The emails sent by Bill Gates in 2007 to a female employee were of a flirtatious nature and they even went to the extent of his inviting the staffer to meet him after work. However, the company itself became aware of these mails the next year when a warning was issued to Gates. Significantly, he was then a full-time employee and president of Microsoft.

The Wall Street Journal was first to report that Brad Smith, then Microsoft's general counsel and another executive met with Gates to discuss the ramifications of the case.

It was thereafter reported by Wall Street Journal that Gates admitted to the facts of the case and agreed not to do it again. Subsequently, no action was taken against Gates. It remains unclear whether any action was even debated by the board of the company.

"Microsoft has nothing to share beyond confirming the accuracy of the WSJ report," a spokesman for the IT company told AFP on Monday.

AP has also reported that the latest disclosure about Gates adds to concerns raised by a Microsoft investor asking fellow shareholders to support a proposal that would force the company to investigate its workplace harassment policies and release a report about them.

Bill Gates and his wife Melinda, announced that they were divorcing in May. Their marriage lasted for 27 years. The couple has one daughter who has married just recently.