Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has appeared before a closed-door meeting of the US House Oversight Committee to answer questions about his past association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The voluntary testimony is part of a wider congressional effort to examine Epstein’s network of influential contacts and determine whether anyone helped protect him from scrutiny.
Before the private session, Gates released a prepared statement firmly denying any involvement in Epstein’s criminal activities. He said he never witnessed illegal conduct and had no knowledge of Epstein’s alleged sex-trafficking operation while they were acquainted. Gates also stressed that he never visited Epstein’s private island, ranch, or Florida residence and rejected any suggestion that he had harmed anyone.
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer said lawmakers wanted a better understanding of Gates’s interactions with Epstein and his longtime associate, Ghislaine Maxwell. According to Comer, the committee is not accusing Gates of any crime but is seeking answers about what he knew and whether he observed anything suspicious during their relationship.
Gates’s appearance is one of several high-profile interviews conducted by the committee as it investigates Epstein’s connections with politicians, business leaders, and other prominent figures. Former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and former Victoria’s Secret CEO Les Wexner have also been questioned as part of the inquiry.
At the same time, critics have pointed out that President Donald Trump has not been called to testify despite his well-documented social relationship with Epstein during the 1990s and early 2000s. Trump has repeatedly denied that he had no knowledge of Epstein’s unlawful conduct.
The investigation has gained additional attention following controversy over the release of the Epstein files. Congress previously approved legislation requiring the Department of Justice to disclose records related to Epstein, but delays and redactions drew criticism from lawmakers and victims’ advocates. Some also raised concerns after personal information belonging to victims became public.
Epstein, who was accused of operating a large-scale sex-trafficking network for years, reached a controversial plea agreement in 2008 that allowed him to serve a reduced prison sentence after pleading guilty to state charges involving a minor. In 2019, while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges, he was found dead in his jail cell, with authorities ruling his death a suicide.
During his testimony, Gates explained that he first met Epstein in 2011 because the financier claimed he could help secure major funding for global health and charitable initiatives. Gates admitted he was aware that Epstein had previous legal troubles but said he did not understand the full extent of his crimes at the time.
According to Gates, he met with Epstein three times in 2011 and twice in 2012. Discussions about potential philanthropic projects continued for a period, but Gates said it eventually became clear that Epstein would not deliver on his promises. He ended all contact with him in late 2014, and no charitable partnership or fundraising effort was ever established.
Gates also addressed previously released emails suggesting Epstein had knowledge of his extramarital affairs. He claimed Epstein attempted to use that personal information to pressure him into restoring their relationship but was unsuccessful. Gates acknowledged that the situation caused significant pain for his family.
Concluding his statement, Gates described his decision to meet Epstein as a “grave error in judgment.” He expressed regret that any interaction with Epstein may have enhanced the disgraced financier’s public image and said the experience taught him to be much more careful about the people he chooses to engage with in the future.