Bill Gates has delivered explosive testimony to Congress, claiming disgraced sex offender Jeffrey Epstein tried to use the billionaire’s private scandals against him after Gates cut ties with the convicted predator.
The Microsoft co-founder, 70, appeared before the House Oversight Committee on June 10 as lawmakers continue digging into the federal government’s handling of the Epstein case and the web of powerful men connected to him.
During his testimony, Gates once again denied having any knowledge of or involvement in Epstein’s sex-trafficking operation. But he did admit Epstein allegedly had access to deeply personal information about his marriage — and tried to weaponize it.
In a prepared statement, Gates said he learned Epstein “had become aware of sensitive information” about his personal life, including the fact that he had been unfaithful during his marriage to Melinda Gates.
“These affairs had nothing to do with my interactions with Epstein, but they were painful for my family,” Gates told lawmakers.
The admission comes after Gates previously acknowledged cheating on Melinda, 61, during their 27-year marriage. The couple divorced in 2021 after decades together and years of building one of the world’s most powerful philanthropic brands.
Gates’ testimony took an even darker turn when he addressed why his name appeared repeatedly in the Epstein files.
Among the most disturbing items was an email Epstein allegedly wrote that referenced Gates needing antibiotics to “deal with consequences” of sex with Russian women. Epstein also allegedly made claims about helping Gates with “illicit trysts” involving married women.
Gates told Congress that Epstein was trying to mix real details about his infidelity with false claims in an apparent attempt to pull him back into his orbit.
“As the public can now see, based on what has been released in the files, 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 said.
“He was unsuccessful in this effort, but it shows some of the ways he tried to leverage his interactions with me to further his agenda,” he added.
The testimony paints a chilling picture of how Epstein allegedly operated around the wealthy and powerful — collecting compromising information, exaggerating relationships and using proximity to famous names to boost his own influence.
Gates and Epstein first became acquainted in 2011, when Epstein reportedly offered to help raise money for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. At the time, Epstein had already served jail time after pleading guilty in 2008 to soliciting prostitution, including a charge involving a minor.
Gates admitted he knew Epstein had “prior legal issues,” but claimed he did not understand the full extent of Epstein’s crimes.
“I accepted the introduction without applying the scrutiny I should have,” Gates said.
The tech mogul also insisted he never visited Epstein’s infamous private island in the Caribbean or his Palm Beach mansion, two locations that have long been tied to the late financier’s alleged abuse network.
“I have never victimized anyone,” Gates told the committee.
He also pushed back on the idea that he and Epstein were ever friends.
“While he may have sought to foster a personal relationship, I was never interested in that and never reciprocated,” Gates said.
Gates claimed he ended contact with Epstein in 2014 after realizing the financier would not deliver on his promises to connect the Gates Foundation with major donors.
“I told him we would go no further and stopped communicating or meeting with him,” Gates said.
Still, Gates did not try to excuse the association entirely. He called his dealings with Epstein “a grave error in judgment” and said he deeply regrets ever allowing the relationship to happen.
“His behavior was antithetical to all my efforts to contribute to a world where everyone has a chance to live a healthy and productive life,” Gates said. “If the time I spent with Epstein lent him any credibility, I am deeply sorry.”
The testimony is likely to intensify pressure on lawmakers to fully expose how Epstein was able to maintain access to elite circles for years, despite his criminal record and the long trail of allegations surrounding him.
For Democrats and accountability advocates, Gates’ remarks also raise a broader question that has haunted the Epstein scandal for years: how many powerful people ignored warning signs until their own reputations were at risk?
Gates said he has learned from the episode and is now “far more careful” about who he engages with, even in limited settings.
But for many Americans, his testimony may only deepen the outrage over how Epstein managed to keep moving through the world of billionaires, politicians and global influencers long after he should have been shut out for good.
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