Extramarital affairs and blackmail: Inside Bill Gates’ Epstein testimony

Bill Gates spent hours before members of the United States House Oversight Committee on Wednesday answering questions about one of the most scrutinised chapters of his public life: his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The Microsoft co-founder, who has for years faced questions over his interactions with Epstein after the financier's 2008 conviction, appeared voluntarily before lawmakers conducting a sweeping investigation into the federal government's handling of the Epstein case.

Gates has never been accused of involvement in Epstein's crimes and has consistently denied having any knowledge of the abuse carried out by the financier.

Nevertheless, documents released by the US Department of Justice earlier this year refocused attention on his relationship with Epstein by revealing meetings, communications and photographs connecting the two men after Epstein had already served time in jail.

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In opening remarks delivered to lawmakers, Gates attempted to address years of public scrutiny surrounding those interactions, admitting that his decision to engage with Epstein was a serious mistake while insisting he had no awareness of any ongoing criminal conduct.

The billionaire told the committee, "I want to state very clearly: I never witnessed nor had any indication that Epstein was engaged in ongoing criminal conduct."

He also acknowledged the error in maintaining contact with Epstein, describing the relationship as a "grave error in judgment."

Why Congress wanted to hear from Gates

The deposition was conducted by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which has spent months investigating potential failures by federal authorities in matters connected to Epstein and his longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell.

Committee chairman James Comer formally requested Gates' testimony earlier this year after the tech entrepreneur's name surfaced repeatedly in the large cache of documents released by the Justice Department.

Those records included calendar entries documenting meetings between Gates and Epstein, email exchanges involving discussions about charitable projects and photographs showing Gates at gatherings attended by the financier.

The broader congressional probe extends well beyond the activities of any single individual.

Lawmakers are examining authorities' handling of investigations and prosecutions involving Epstein, plea agreements reached over the years, alleged shortcomings in anti-trafficking efforts, ethics-related concerns, the circumstances surrounding Epstein's death and delays in making government records public.

Before Gates entered the interview room, Comer summarised the committee's objective.

The Kentucky Republican told reporters the investigation was "about trying to figure out how the government failed."

The committee's examination has become one of the most wide-ranging congressional inquiries connected to Epstein since the release of millions of pages of government records earlier this year.

How Gates' relationship with Epstein began

A central focus of lawmakers' questioning concerned the origins of Gates' relationship with Epstein and the reasons he continued communicating with him despite the financier's criminal history.

According to Gates, the relationship began in 2011, three years after Epstein pleaded guilty in Florida to soliciting prostitution from a minor.

During his opening statement, Gates said he was introduced to Epstein in 2011 "through people I trusted in my professional and philanthropic work".

Gates told lawmakers that Epstein presented himself as someone capable of unlocking enormous pools of philanthropic capital. According to the billionaire, Epstein claimed he could connect him with wealthy individuals interested in supporting global health programmes and other charitable initiatives.

He recalled that Epstein said he "could raise billions of dollars for global health from people for whom he provided tax and estate services".

At the time, Gates was deeply involved in expanding the work of the Gates Foundation, one of the world's largest philanthropic organisations. He said Epstein's claims appeared worth exploring because of the possibility of securing significant new resources for public health efforts.

Yet Gates also acknowledged that he was aware Epstein had encountered legal problems in the past.

"I recall being aware that Epstein had faced prior legal issues, but I did not fully understand the extent of the crimes he committed. I accepted the introduction without applying the scrutiny I should have."

This prompted lawmakers to repeatedly return to the question of why Gates chose to engage with Epstein despite knowing that he had previously been convicted.

The philanthropic discussions that went nowhere

According to Gates, Epstein arranged introductions to a number of wealthy individuals whom he claimed might be interested in supporting major philanthropic projects.

However, Gates told lawmakers that those efforts ultimately produced no meaningful results.

After meeting potential donors, he concluded that the discussions were not leading anywhere productive. "It was clear that no one in the group was interested enough to move forward. I told him we would go no further and stopped communicating or meeting with him."

He added, "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 has repeatedly stated over the years that the relationship was limited to philanthropy-related matters and that he eventually concluded Epstein was incapable of delivering on the promises he had made.

The Gates Foundation has offered a similar account. Earlier this year, the foundation said a small number of staff members had interacted with Epstein because of his assertions that he could mobilise substantial charitable funding.

The organisation stressed that no joint charitable vehicle was ever established and that no money was paid to Epstein.

The issue nevertheless attracted attention because Justice Department records included communications involving Gates Foundation personnel and Epstein. The foundation's connection to the controversy deepened further when it announced an external review examining its past engagement with the financier.

The blackmail allegations revealed in testimony

One of the most striking elements of Gates' appearance before lawmakers involved claims that Epstein later attempted to exploit information about his personal life.

According to Gates, the relationship effectively ended after the unsuccessful fundraising efforts. However, he said Epstein subsequently learned details concerning his extramarital affairs and attempted to use that information to pressure him into renewing contact.

"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 continued, "These affairs had nothing to do with my interactions with Epstein, but they were painful for my family."

According to his testimony, Epstein then attempted to use the information as leverage. "Epstein was working to use information about my infidelities... to pressure me to re-engage with him."

Gates told lawmakers that the effort failed. "He was unsuccessful... but it shows some of the ways he tried to leverage his interactions with me to further his agenda."

"These affairs had nothing to do with my interactions with Epstein, but they were painful for my family. 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."

Gates insists he knew nothing about criminal conduct

The billionaire repeatedly stated that he never observed conduct that would have alerted him to the abuse allegations that later became widely known. "I want to state very clearly: I never witnessed nor had any indication that Epstein was engaged in ongoing criminal conduct."

He also sought to distance himself from any suggestion that the relationship involved anything beyond charitable discussions.

"I have never victimised anyone. While he may have sought to foster a personal relationship, I was never interested in that and never reciprocated."

Gates also told lawmakers that he never visited Epstein's private island or other notorious properties associated with the financier. Those denials are consistent with statements Gates has made publicly for several years as questions about the relationship continued to follow him.

What lawmakers learned from the deposition

Representative Tim Burchett described the questioning as intense, reflecting the seriousness with which lawmakers approached the subject.

Democratic Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi offered a less favourable assessment of Gates' performance, saying the billionaire was "combative" and "not terribly forthcoming or candid."

Other lawmakers presented a different picture. Representative Robert Garcia said Gates answered questions, even though he challenged some lines of inquiry.

Garcia also highlighted one of the committee's key concerns: why Gates continued engaging with Epstein despite his criminal conviction.

According to Garcia, Gates was aware Epstein had been convicted of "a horrific crime and continued to interact with him to seek money for his foundation." Garcia described that decision as "a horrific judgment call."

Representative Melanie Stansbury said Gates acknowledged maintaining what she described as a narrow relationship because he believed it offered a pathway to wealthy donors.

According to Stansbury, Gates recognised that the relationship was viewed as an acceptable method of gaining access to potential philanthropic contributors.

Several Democratic members also indicated that some of the most useful information obtained from Gates related not to his own conduct but to his knowledge of other influential figures who moved within Epstein's circle.

A relationship that affected Gates' personal life

Both Gates and his former wife, Melinda French Gates, have previously acknowledged that his interactions with Epstein became a source of tension in their marriage.

Those concerns resurfaced as lawmakers examined why the billionaire continued meeting Epstein years after his criminal conviction. The revelations about Epstein's alleged efforts to use information concerning Gates' infidelities further highlighted the personal fallout from the relationship.

During a February town hall meeting with Gates Foundation employees, a spokesperson said Gates had "took responsibility for his actions" regarding the matter.

Wednesday's testimony represented the most detailed public accounting yet of how Gates views the relationship and why he believes it became such a significant mistake.

The broader Epstein files investigation

Many of the individuals identified in the records have denied any involvement in Epstein's crimes, although some maintained relationships with him even after aspects of his conduct had become publicly known.

Former US President Bill Clinton also appeared before the committee in February and answered questions for more than six hours concerning his own association with Epstein. Records show Epstein visited the White House during Clinton's presidency, while Clinton occasionally travelled aboard Epstein's private aircraft.

Clinton has said he never witnessed signs of abuse and ended his association with Epstein before the financier's 2008 guilty plea. He has not been accused of wrongdoing.

The investigation has also drawn attention to US President Donald Trump, whose social relationship with Epstein during the 1990s and early 2000s has been extensively documented.

Democratic lawmakers have advocated for Trump's testimony before the committee. Republicans, meanwhile, have said they have not uncovered evidence indicating wrongdoing by Trump.

The release of government records itself became politically contentious. Former Attorney General Pam Bondi, who was dismissed by Trump in April, faced criticism over her handling of the matter.

Some critics alleged she attempted to protect Trump from scrutiny. Trump had opposed releasing the files before Congress ultimately approved legislation requiring their publication.

In 2008, Epstein pleaded guilty to a Florida state felony prostitution charge and served 13 months in jail.

More than a decade later, federal prosecutors charged him with sex trafficking minors. Authorities alleged that he created an extensive network involving girls, some as young as 14 years old, whom he sexually abused between 2002 and 2005.

Epstein pleaded not guilty to the federal charges. Before the case could proceed to trial, he was found dead in a New York jail cell in August 2019. Authorities ruled the death a suicide.

As lawmakers pursue additional witnesses — including attorney Alan Dershowitz and potentially acting Attorney General Todd Blanche — the committee's investigation remains active.

Following his appearance, Gates reiterated his support for full transparency regarding the case. "I appreciated the opportunity to meet with the House Oversight Committee today, and to answer all of their questions," he said.

"I support the release of all the files, and hope my participation contributes to getting justice for the victims."

With inputs from agencies