Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates told members of Congress that he did not fully understand the extent of Jeffrey Epstein’s criminal conduct when he maintained contact with the disgraced financier in connection with fundraising efforts for his charitable work.
Speaking during a closed-door interview before the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday, Gates acknowledged that his association with Epstein was a mistake but insisted he never witnessed any criminal activity firsthand.
In his opening statement, Gates also accused Epstein of attempting to blackmail him by exploiting information about his extramarital affairs. He said the personal matters were unrelated to his interactions with Epstein but had caused significant pain to his family.
According to Gates, Epstein allegedly sought to use knowledge of the affairs, along with what he described as false claims, to pressure him into re-establishing contact after their relationship had cooled.
The testimony forms part of a wider congressional investigation into the handling of cases involving Epstein and his longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell, as well as broader questions surrounding federal investigations, prosecutions and the release of government files.
The inquiry is being led by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, chaired by James Comer, which is examining whether there were failures or irregularities in the way authorities managed the high-profile case.
Epstein first pleaded guilty to a prostitution-related felony charge in Florida in 2008 and served 13 months in jail. More than a decade later, federal prosecutors charged him with sex trafficking minors. He denied the allegations and died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial. His death was officially ruled a suicide.
Documents released by the US Department of Justice this year indicated that Gates met Epstein on multiple occasions after his 2008 conviction, with discussions reportedly centred on expanding philanthropic initiatives. The records also included photographs of Gates alongside several women whose identities were redacted.
Gates has repeatedly maintained that his interactions with Epstein were limited to charitable and philanthropic matters and has publicly stated that meeting him was a serious error in judgement.
The controversy has also drawn attention to the Gates Foundation, which announced an external review into its past engagement with Epstein. Previously released emails showed communication between Epstein and foundation staff members.
The congressional investigation has expanded beyond Epstein’s activities and now includes scrutiny of law enforcement decisions, plea agreements, anti-trafficking efforts, ethics concerns and delays in releasing government records linked to the case.
The release of millions of pages of government documents has highlighted Epstein’s connections to numerous influential figures across politics, business, finance and academia, including Donald Trump, who was known to have socialised with Epstein in previous decades.
The case continues to generate intense public interest as lawmakers seek answers over how one of the most notorious sex trafficking scandals in modern American history was handled by authorities.
