Bill Gates Mugshot

Date Arrested: December 13, 1977

Charges: Allegedly, Gates was taken in for running a red light and driving without a license.

The Story:

Although details are sketchy and records have been lost over time, Microsoft founder and CEO Bill Gates was arrested on reckless driving charges on December 13, 1977 for a second time in New Mexico after speeding in his Porsche, running a stop sign and driving without a license. While much of the information regarding the arrest of Bill Gates in New Mexico remains unclear, a spokesperson for the Albuquerque Police has stated that no records of the arrest were found after exhaustive efforts to locate the details surrounding themugshot.

Although varying reports indicate that Bill Gates was arrested at least two times prior to his 1977 arrest, very little is known about Gates’ previous violations and citations. On April 29, 1975 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, however, reports indicate Bill Gates was arrested by the Albuquerque Police Department on charges of speeding and driving without a license. Since both New Mexico arrests are strangely similar in nature, it’s often difficult to corroborate the details surround the events in Albuquerque. However, another report suggests that Bill Gates was involved in a third violation after being hit by a vehicle that ran a stop sign. Other sources have suggested that Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen was traveling with Gates in his Porsche at the time of his 1977 arrest, although there is no hard evidence to support the claim.

A spokesperson for Microsoft has commented that Bill Gates does remember being taken into custody over driving without a license and a traffic violation, adding, “It is well-known that when Bill was young he didn't have a very good driving record.” In addition to the New Mexico arrests, in 1989 Bill Gates was arrested over a decade later on suspicion of drunk driving charges, but the counts were later reduced. Since his infractions with the law, Microsoft CEO Bill Gates has gone on to become one of the world's richest men, amassing a fortune estimated at over $50 billion dollars. In 2006, Bill Gates ranked #1 on Forbes' list of wealthiest men in the world.