And now things get murky… According to “people familiar with the matter”, Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates was asked to step down from the company’s board last year following an allegation that he had a years-long affair with a female employee starting in 2000. That’s according to the Wall Street Journal yesterday (paywall). And the New York Times claims the tech whiz had “developed a reputation for questionable conduct in work-related settings” and had “on at least a few occasions” pursued women who worked for him. While the couple’s spokesperson confirmed the 2000 affair, they said Bill’s departure from the board “was in no way related” to the relationship. The Gateses filed for divorce earlier this month after 27 years of marriage, leaving questions about the division of their vast wealth and the future of their massive/influential philanthropic foundation.