Reported by: Zac Crellin with AP, AFP, Reuters, dpa. | Edited by: Sean Sinico
Tech billionaire Bill Gates testified about his relationship with deceased sex criminal Jeffrey Epstein before a House Oversight Committee on Wednesday.
After the hearing, which was held behind closed doors, the Microsoft co-founder posted a transcript of his opening remarks to his personal website.
“I never witnessed nor had any indication that Epstein was engaged in ongoing criminal conduct,” Gates’ statement said. “I never went to his island, his ranch, or his Florida home. I have never victimized anyone.”
Nevertheless, Gates said he “should never have met with Epstein in the first place.”
“Based on what I know now, I understand that even if he had delivered the new donors he promised, it would not have justified associating with him,” the statement said.
The tranche of documents made public by the Department of Justice — commonly known as the Epstein files — contain several mentions of Gates, including calendar entries for meetings between Gates and Epstein, email correspondence between the two about philanthropic projects, and photos of Gates at events that Epstein also attended.
Gates outlines multiple meetings with Epstein
Gates said he first met Epstein in 2011. This came three years after Epstein was jailed for procuring a minor for prostitution in 2008 and amid other allegations, including from reported trafficking victim Virginia Giuffre.
“Epstein claimed he could raise billions of dollars for global health from people for whom he provided tax and estate services. I recall being aware that Epstein had faced prior legal issues, but I did not fully understand the extent of the crimes he committed,” Gates said.
“I accepted the introduction without applying the scrutiny I should have,” he added.
Gates said he had three “preliminary meetings” in 2011 to discuss philanthropy, and two more in 2012, followed by “more extensive conversations” in 2013 and 2014. Gates said the discussions on philanthropy then reached a “dead-end” and money was never raised.
“Our interactions ended in December 2014, four years before new reports in the press and unsealed court documents shed light on the extent of his crimes,” Gates said.
Epstein ‘used information’ about Gates’ infidelity
Gates also said Epstein “inserted himself” into the resignation process of an employee in his private office, which “resulted in email exchanges, calls, and meetings with members of my team and me.”
“It was after this that I learned Epstein had become aware of sensitive information about my personal life, including the fact that I had been unfaithful in my marriage,” Gates said.
“These affairs had nothing to do with my interactions with Epstein, but they were painful for my family,” Gates said. “As the public can now see, based on what has been released in the files, Epstein was working to use information about my infidelities — in addition to many lies that he layered on top — to pressure me to re-engage with him.”
Also included in the Epstein files is a 2013 draft email in which Epstein appeared to suggest he helped Gates manage the fallout from extramarital affairs and procure antibiotics after a sexually transmitted infection. Gates has previously called the email fake and denied the claims made within.
House Oversight Committee to call new witnesses
The House Oversight Committee has been investigating Epstein and his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, a convicted child sex offender, since 2025.
The committee chair, Republican Congressman James Comer, formally requested that Gates testify. The appearance before the committee is voluntary and does not imply any wrongdoing.
“This is about the survivors,” Comer said ahead of the hearing on Wednesday. “This is about trying to figure out how the government failed.”
Several other public figures have already appeared before the committee, including former President Bill Clinton and ex-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former Attorney General Pam Bondi and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
Comer said Wednesday that he’s planning to ask high-profile attorney Alan Dershowitz to appear for questioning and has been in touch with the Justice Department about asking acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to appear before the committee as well.
Disclaimer: This report first appeared on Deutsche Welle, and has been republished on ABP Live as part of a special arrangement. Apart from the headline, no changes have been made in the report by ABP Live.
