Bill Gates to Testify Before House Committee on Epstein Links
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is scheduled to testify before the House Committee on Oversight and Reform on Wednesday as part of the panel's ongoing investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Gates will appear in a closed-door session where lawmakers are expected to question him regarding his past relationship with Epstein. A transcript of the interview is anticipated to be released subsequently.
In a statement provided to prior to his appearance, a spokesperson for Gates stated that he "welcomes the opportunity to appear before the committee" and emphasized that "while he never witnessed or participated in any of Epstein’s illegal conduct, he is looking forward to answering all the committee’s questions to support their important work."
Committee Investigation and Background
The committee, chaired by Representative James Comer, initiated the investigation in March following the Justice Department’s release of millions of documents related to Epstein earlier this year. These files contained numerous references to Gates, including several photographs and records indicating meetings between Gates and Epstein, which have renewed scrutiny of Gates’s association with the disgraced financier.
It is important to note that Gates has not been accused of any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein and has consistently denied any knowledge of Epstein’s criminal activities.
Lawmakers’ Statements and Foundation Correspondence
Prior to Gates’s scheduled testimony, Representative Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the committee, stated earlier this week,
"We want to know what did Mr. Gates know, who else was around that orbit, and why Mr. Gates continued to have a relationship with Mr. Epstein."
The released records also include correspondences between Epstein and some of Gates’s foundation employees and associates. In a statement following the release of these files, the Gates Foundation acknowledged awareness of the emails and explained that,
"On the basis of Epstein’s claims that he could mobilize significant philanthropic resources for global health and development, a small number of foundation employees interacted with Epstein to try to secure this potential funding."
The foundation further clarified,
"Ultimately, the foundation did not pursue any collaboration with Epstein and no fund was ever created."
Foundation Review and Policies
In April, the Gates Foundation announced that it had commissioned an "external review to assess past foundation engagement with Epstein, and our current policies for vetting and developing new philanthropic partnerships." The foundation stated that the review is ongoing and that its board and management will receive an update during the summer.
Gates’s Public Statements on Epstein Association
In recent years, Gates has publicly expressed regret over his past association with Epstein. In an interview conducted last year, he acknowledged meeting Epstein several times to discuss philanthropy but described his actions as unwise, stating,
"Yes, I think I was quite stupid. I thought it would help me with global health philanthropy, in fact it failed to do that, and it was just a huge mistake."
Town-Hall Meeting and Additional Details
Earlier this year, the Wall Street Journal reported that Gates apologized to employees of the Gates Foundation during a February town-hall meeting for his past ties to Epstein.
According to the Journal, which reviewed a recording of the meeting, Gates indicated that he first met Epstein in 2011, several years after Epstein had pleaded guilty to soliciting a minor for prostitution in Florida. Gates acknowledged awareness of what he described as an "18-month thing" that had restricted Epstein’s travel but admitted he did not adequately investigate Epstein’s background.
Gates stated that he continued meeting with Epstein through 2014, despite concerns raised by his then-wife, Melinda French Gates. He disclosed that he flew on a private jet with Epstein and spent time with him in Washington, New York, France, and Germany, but emphasized that he "never stayed overnight" or visited Epstein’s private island.
During the meeting, Gates reportedly acknowledged having two meetings with Epstein that Epstein later discovered, which were referenced in emails released in the Epstein files, but asserted that these meetings did not involve any of Epstein’s victims.
"I did nothing illicit. I saw nothing illicit," Gates said, according to the Journal.
He also addressed photographs in the Epstein files showing him with women whose identities were unclear, explaining that Epstein had asked him to be in photographs with his assistants after their meetings. Gates stated,
"To be clear, I never spent any time with victims, the women around him."
Gates described his time spent with Epstein as a "huge mistake" and apologized to "other people who are drawn into this because of the mistake that I made." He indicated that 2014 was the last year he met with Epstein but noted that he continued to receive emails from Epstein afterward, which he did not respond to.
Foundation Response to Town-Hall Reporting
When questioned about the town-hall meeting reported by the Journal, a spokesperson for the Gates Foundation told ,
"This was a town hall with employees, which Bill does twice a year. In the conversation, Bill answered questions submitted by foundation staff on a range of issues, including the release of the Epstein files, the foundation’s work in AI, and the future of global health."
The spokesperson added,
"In the town hall, Bill spoke candidly, addressing several questions in detail, and took responsibility for his actions."
Preparation for Deposition
Ahead of this week’s deposition, the Wall Street Journal reported that Gates has been preparing with assistance from Jake Greenberg, the former top investigative counsel to the House Oversight Committee.
