WASHINGTON (NewsNation Now) — Bill Gates, in his first public appearance since the announcement of his impending divorce from his wife Melinda after 27 years, spoke at a forum on economic recovery.

The meeting happened just days after the Microsoft co-founder admitted to having an affair 20 years ago.

New details about their divorce settlement reveal Gates has transferred more than $3 billion in shares to his soon-to-be ex-wife. Meanwhile, he continued his philanthropic work, speaking on lessons learned during the COVD-19 pandemic.

“In some ways, this wake-up call will be good for us going into the future,” he said at a U.S. Chamber of Commerce event on economic recovery. 

Gates was still wearing his wedding ring.

“There are two categories: There are natural pandemics — like we’re quite sure this one was — and then there’s intentionally caused pandemics,” said Gates. “And so as we invest, we have to look at both of those scenarios. Which if you’re not ready for, the the toll can be very horrific.”

Gates did not address any of the recent allegations of infidelity published in the New York Times and The Wall Street Journal which accused him of pursuing women who worked for him at Microsoft and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

On Monday, Gates confirmed he did have an affair with a Microsoft employee two decades ago. Later, when the Microsoft board investigated, Gates stepped down from the board during the probe and before it was completed.

In a statement, Gates’ spokesperson acknowledged the affair but denied allegations he stepped down from the company’s board because of it.

Soon after Bill and Melinda Gates announced their divorce, The Daily Beast reported that Melinda was very uncomfortable Bill’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and that it was a source of tension in their marriage.  

“When Bill Gates would go to Jeffrey Epstein’s house he complained about his marriage and sources told us that Jeffrey Epstein was giving Bill Gates advice on his marriage and, you know, a possible divorce,” said Daily Beast reporter Kate Briquelet. 

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Now, their new reporting calls his relationship with Epstein further into question, citing a former Gates Foundation employee who says that Gates saw the disgraced financier as his ticket to a Nobel Prize.

“A former foundation employee had told us that it was common knowledge within the office that Bill Gates really wanted a Nobel Prize…that Bill Gates associated with Epstein in the hopes that some of Epstein’s connections could put in a good word for him or help him eventually obtain the Nobel,” said Briquelet.

Gates has denied that he was engaged in behind-the-scenes maneuvering with Epstein, for the prize.

“Bill only met with Epstein to discuss philanthropy. It is extremely disappointing that there have been so many untruths published about the case, the circumstances and the timeline of Bill Gates’ divorce,” a Gates spokesperson said in a statement.