Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates told a congressional panel on Wednesday that he never had a personal relationship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and cut off contact when Epstein failed to deliver on promised fundraising for his global health initiatives.

Gates appeared voluntarily for a closed-door transcribed interview with the House Oversight Committee, which is investigating the Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein case and the powerful figures in his orbit. The session marks one of the highest-profile testimonies in the committee’s ongoing probe, following the release earlier this year of millions of pages of DOJ documents that mentioned Gates thousands of times.

In his opening statement, which he later posted online, Gates stated clearly: “I never witnessed nor had any indication that Epstein was engaged in ongoing criminal conduct. I never went to his island, his ranch, or his Florida home. I have never victimized anyone. While he may have sought to foster a personal relationship, I was never interested in that and never reciprocated.”

He expressed hope that “the survivors of Epstein’s crimes can get the justice that they deserve” and described meeting Epstein as “a grave error in judgment” that put his philanthropic reputation at risk.

The two men’s association began in 2011 — three years after Epstein’s 2008 Florida conviction on prostitution-related charges — and centered on potential fundraising for Gates’s global health work. Gates emphasized that he made it clear Epstein would have no formal role in the Gates Foundation or receive any compensation.

By 2014, after a meeting Epstein arranged with potential donors yielded no meaningful support, Gates concluded the discussions were a “dead-end” and ended communication. Democrats on the committee noted that Gates was aware of Epstein’s prior conviction yet continued interactions in hopes of securing funds for his foundation.

Gates told lawmakers that Epstein attempted to leverage information about his marital infidelities — along with what Gates described as lies — to pressure him into re-engaging. He acknowledged affairs, including with two Russian women, but strongly denied Epstein’s more lurid and unverified claims, such as facilitating “illicit trysts,” providing drugs for a sexually transmitted infection, or involvement with underage individuals. Gates insisted he was never introduced to any women or girls by Epstein.

Bipartisan members described Epstein as a “friend collector” who associated with high-profile figures like Gates to project influence. Republican Rep. Tim Burchett called the questioning intense and noted Gates appeared “down-trodden.” Democrats, including Rep. Robert Garcia, highlighted that Gates continued interactions despite knowing of Epstein’s conviction.

The committee has interviewed numerous prominent figures, including former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime associate serving a 20-year sentence, appeared virtually earlier and largely invoked her rights against self-incrimination.

Epstein died by suicide in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial. The recent DOJ document release included photos of Gates with Epstein and his pilot, as well as disputed draft emails. Gates has repeatedly denied knowledge of Epstein’s criminal activities.

As of Thursday, the full transcript of Gates’s testimony has not yet been publicly released, though lawmakers indicated it would be made available. The committee continues its work, with expectations of additional interviews and potential public hearings. Gates’s appearance was prepared with assistance from a former Oversight Committee investigations counsel.

In February, Gates apologized to his foundation staff for the association, describing it as poor judgment, and an external review of the foundation’s contacts with Epstein was announced. He has maintained that the relationship spanned roughly 2011 to 2014.

No charges have been filed against Gates in connection with Epstein. He told reporters before the hearing that he welcomed the opportunity to support the committee’s important work for victims.

The case continues to draw scrutiny over how high-profile individuals engaged with Epstein post-conviction and what, if any, oversight failures allowed his network to persist. (ILKHA)