Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has told a US congressional committee that convicted financier Jeffrey Epstein allegedly tried to use information about his extramarital affairs to pressure him into re-establishing contact. The claim was made in a prepared statement submitted to the House Oversight Committee during a closed-door hearing examining how US authorities handled investigations involving Epstein and people associated with him.
According to Gates, the personal matters were unrelated to his interactions with Epstein but had caused significant distress to his family. He alleged that Epstein sought to exploit information about his private life, along with what he described as false allegations, in an effort to gain influence over him.
During his testimony, Gates reiterated that he deeply regretted maintaining ties with Epstein, describing the association as a grave error in judgment. He told lawmakers that trust and credibility are essential for building partnerships linked to his philanthropic initiatives and said his connection with Epstein risked undermining that work. Gates further stated that Epstein’s conduct was completely inconsistent with the values he sought to uphold through his charitable efforts.
At the same time, Gates maintained that he had never personally witnessed Epstein engaging in criminal activity and denied any wrongdoing on his own part. “His interactions with Epstein began in 2011, several years after Epstein had pleaded guilty in Florida in a case involving the solicitation of prostitution from a minor”, Gates said.
While acknowledging that he was aware Epstein had faced legal issues, Gates said he did not fully understand the extent of the allegations against him at the time they were introduced.
The Microsoft co-founder told the committee that he met Epstein on several occasions between 2011 and 2014, primarily to discuss the possibility of establishing a charitable donor-advised fund. However, the proposed initiative never moved forward, and discussions between the two had effectively ended by late 2014.