WASHINGTON — Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates testified before the U.S. House Oversight and Government Reform Committee this week about his past meetings with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, describing the relationship as “a grave error in judgment” while denying any knowledge of Epstein’s criminal conduct at the time of their interactions.
Gates appeared voluntarily in a closed-door interview on Wednesday as part of a congressional investigation into the Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein case and the network of associates connected to the late financier. Committee investigators have been conducting a series of interviews with individuals linked to Epstein following the release of additional government records earlier this year.
In prepared remarks released before the interview, Gates said he regretted meeting Epstein and acknowledged that the association had damaged his reputation and philanthropic work.
“I should never have met with Epstein in the first place,” Gates said, according to the statement. He also described the meetings as “a grave error in judgment” and said they put his work “at risk.”
Gates told lawmakers that he was introduced to Epstein in 2011 through individuals involved in his professional and philanthropic activities. According to his testimony, he believed Epstein could help attract funding for global health initiatives. Gates said he later concluded that Epstein could not deliver on those promises and ended contact.
The billionaire philanthropist stated that he never witnessed criminal activity by Epstein and had no indication that Epstein was engaged in ongoing offenses during the period they met. Gates also said he never visited several properties associated with Epstein and denied any wrongdoing.
According to Gates’ testimony, Epstein later attempted to pressure him into renewing contact by using information about Gates’ past extramarital affairs. Gates told the committee that those personal matters were unrelated to his interactions with Epstein and said he resisted the efforts.
Committee Chairman James Comer, a Republican from Kentucky, has said the investigation seeks to examine how Epstein maintained relationships with influential figures and how federal authorities handled investigations involving him. Democratic and Republican lawmakers on the panel have both called for additional testimony from other individuals connected to the case.
Lawmakers who participated in the interview described Gates as generally cooperative, although questioning focused on why he continued meeting Epstein after Epstein’s 2008 conviction. Gates has not been accused of criminal conduct in connection with Epstein.
As of Friday, the committee had not released a transcript of Gates’ testimony. Congressional investigators said additional interviews were expected in the coming weeks as the broader inquiry continues.
