Microsoft co-founder Invoice Gates informed the Home Oversight Committee probing the federal government’s investigation of Jeffrey Epstein that Gates “by no means victimized anybody” and that assembly with Epstein “was a grave error in judgment,” in line with his ready opening remarks.
Gates is dealing with questions Wednesday about his relationship with the late financier, marking probably the most high-profile interviews performed by the Oversight Committee because it started probing the federal government’s dealing with of its investigations into the infamous intercourse offender.
“I by no means witnessed nor had any indication that Epstein was engaged in ongoing prison conduct. I by no means went to his island, his ranch, or his Florida residence. I’ve by no means victimized anybody,” Gates testified in his closed-door look, in line with a duplicate of his ready opening assertion.
Gates mentioned that Epstein sought to “foster a private relationship” with him, however mentioned his focus remained on utilizing Epstein to recruit new donors for Gates’ international well being initiative.
“My interactions with Epstein started with a restricted variety of preliminary conferences — three in 2011 and two in 2012 — throughout which I talked in regards to the objectives of my work,” Gates mentioned, in line with his assertion. “We started extra intensive conversations in 2013 and 2014. The discussions centered on figuring out potential giving constructions, resembling donor-advised funds, and tips on how to enroll people he claimed have been considering making important contributions.”
Gates mentioned he can “recall being conscious that Epstein had confronted prior authorized points” however added he “didn’t totally perceive the extent of the crimes he dedicated,” per the assertion.
He additionally informed the committee that he Epstein realized “delicate details about my private life” — together with that he had been untrue in his marriage to Melinda French Gates.
Invoice Gates arrives for a closed door interview earlier than the Home Oversight Committee investigating late financier and intercourse offender Jeffrey Epstein, on Capitol Hill in Washington, June 10, 2026.
Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
“These affairs had nothing to do with my interactions with Epstein, however they have been painful for my household,” Gates mentioned, in line with the assertion. “As the general public can now see, primarily based on what has been launched within the recordsdata, Epstein was working to make use of details about my infidelities — along with many lies that he layered on high — to stress me to re-engage with him. He was unsuccessful on this effort, but it surely reveals among the methods he tried to leverage his interactions with me to additional his agenda.”
In short remarks to reporters on his method in Wednesday morning, Gates mentioned, “I am going to begin with a gap assertion within the listening to room. I hope my testimony is useful to the work, vital work of the committee to search out justice for the victims.”
Comer seeks Blanche look
Home Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) first reached out to Gates in March to schedule the behind-closed-doors interview, writing in a letter that the tech billionaire may “have info that can help in its investigation.” In current weeks, the Committee has performed related transcribed interviews with former Legal professional Normal Pam Bondi, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and Epstein’s longtime govt secretary Lesley Groff.
Comer informed reporters Wednesday morning that he additionally needs Todd Blanche, the appearing lawyer common and President Donald Trump’s nominee for lawyer common, to reply questions earlier than the panel.
“I am speaking with the Division of Justice. I would really like for Todd Blanche to come back in in July, Comer mentioned. “He is bought, you understand, I feel everyone knows he has a giant affirmation arising, however I’ve all the time wished Blanche to come back in.”
Comer wouldn’t specify whether or not he intends to hunt a transcribed interview or a public listening to with Blanche. Requested what he hopes to be taught from Blanche, Comer mentioned, “I feel that the principle factor that we have now for Blanche is the query on, you understand, what, if any, paperwork are left on the market.”
Rep. Robert Garcia, the committee’s rating Democrat, mentioned throughout a break that he would really like Blanche to sit down for a videotaped deposition beneath oath, though he’d desire a public listening to. ABC Information first reported on Garcia’s request in a June 2 letter he despatched to Comer by which he sought “video-taped, transcribed interviews” with Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel.
“It is essential to us that that may be a deposition that’s beneath oath and it is videotaped and launched to the American public,” Garcia informed reporters Wednesday.
Thus far, the committee has solely recorded video of the depositions it is held with witnesses beneath subpoena, versus the transcribed interviews the place witnesses have appeared voluntarily.
Comer additionally mentioned that he’s in search of a transcribed interview with lawyer Alan Dershowitz after consulting with a few of Epstein’s victims within the wake of Groff’s transcribed interview on Tuesday.
‘Very, very painful occasions’
Gates’ affiliation with the late financier has roiled his nonprofit and reshaped the general public notion of the tech billionaire who was as soon as the world’s richest man. HIs relationship with Epstein confronted a brand new wave of scrutiny earlier this yr when the Division of Justice’s release of Epstein files included correspondence between the 2 males, in addition to cryptic notes drafted by Epstein that hinted at Gates’ extramarital affairs.
In line with the Wall Road Journal, Gates apologized to the employees of his nonprofit throughout a city corridor in February and acknowledged that he had affairs with two Russian girls that Epstein later found. A spokesperson for Gates in a 2023 assertion mentioned that Epstein “tried unsuccessfully to leverage a previous relationship to threaten Mr. Gates.”
“Within the city corridor, Invoice spoke candidly, addressing a number of questions intimately, and took accountability for his actions,” a spokesperson for the Gates Basis informed ABC Information.
Melinda French Gates — who beforehand mentioned her 2021 divorce from Invoice Gates was pushed partly by his affiliation with Epstein — mentioned earlier this yr that the paperwork introduced again reminiscences of “some very, very painful occasions” of their marriage.
“No matter questions stay there … these questions are for these individuals, and for even my ex-husband,” she mentioned on NPR’s Wild Card podcast about what she described as a societal “reckoning” over the Epstein recordsdata. “They should reply to these issues, not me.”
Members of the Oversight Committee have expressed a want to be taught whether or not Epstein used his intercourse trafficking community to lure in rich and influential males to blackmail — allegations that the DOJ and FBI mentioned they discovered “no credible proof” of final yr.
Neither of the ladies who Gates acknowledged having affairs with — a Russian bridge participant and nuclear physicist — have been mentioned to have been launched to Gates by Epstein, although a spokesperson later mentioned that Epstein sought to “leverage” his information of one in all his previous relationships to “threaten” Gates.
The interview can be prone to contact on how Epstein was in a position to ingratiate himself with Gates simply three years after pleading responsible to prices of soliciting a minor for prostitution. Gates has beforehand mentioned he was conscious of an “18-month factor” that restricted Epstein’s journey, and he regrets not additional investigating Epstein’s background.
In line with paperwork launched earlier this yr by the Division of Justice, Gates first met Epstein in 2011.
“I will not have time to do one other assembly and I will not be capable of do the dinner with Jeff Epstein,” Gates wrote in a 2010 e mail to Boris Nikolic, his former science advisor. “I used to be wanting ahead to the dinner.”
Gates later mentioned he hoped he may leverage Epstein’s relationships with “very wealthy individuals” to help his international well being philanthropic efforts.
“The main target was all the time: he knew lots of very wealthy individuals, and he was saying he may get them to provide cash to international well being. Looking back, that was a useless finish,” Gates informed 9News Australia in February.
‘No fund was ever created’
In line with paperwork launched by the DOJ, each males continued to speak for at the least three years, with Epstein at one level urging Gates to make use of a selected philanthropic automobile often known as a “donor suggested fund” to make charitable contributions. On the time, Epstein in contrast donor suggested funds to “cloud computing for the giving world.”
“It’s a good analogy,” Gates wrote in a February 2014 e mail. “It’s clearer to me now than earlier than and it might be an incredible factor.”
However by December 2014, Gates appeared to chill on Epstein’s proposal, suggesting in an e mail that the plan was not viable for him.
“By way of the DAF I do not assume we have now any individuals at this level who will transfer to do one thing quickly,” Gates wrote. “It’s a good suggestion, but it surely will not come along with 4-6 companions anytime quickly.”
In an announcement earlier this yr, the Gates Basis mentioned it didn’t transfer ahead with Epstein’s fund and by no means transferred any funds to the disgraced financier.
“On the idea of Epstein’s claims that he may mobilize important philanthropic assets for international well being and growth, a small variety of basis staff interacted with Epstein to attempt to safe this potential funding. Finally, the muse didn’t pursue any collaboration with Epstein and no fund was ever created,” a spokesperson for the Gates Basis mentioned in February.
By March, the Gates Basis commissioned an exterior evaluate to evaluate its previous engagement with Epstein in addition to its insurance policies for vetting philanthropic partnerships. Basis officers mentioned in an announcement they anticipated to get an replace about that evaluate later this summer time.
