According to the US newspaper The New York Times, Microsoft founder Bill Gates attended a closed-door hearing of the House Oversight Committee of Congress on June 10. At the meeting, Gates argued that after he cut off contact with sexual offender Jeffrey Epstein, Epstein used information about Gates’ extramarital affairs to coerce Gates into re-establishing contact with him.
During this closed-door hearing, the House of Representatives Oversight Committee questioned Gates and Epstein about the details of their interactions.
Gates reiterated his consistent stance, saying that he deeply regrets any involvement with Epstein, but that he never witnessed any “criminal acts” by Epstein. He also emphasized that he “has never harmed anyone.”
In 2019, shortly after a series of sexual crimes involving Epstein were arrested by the U.S. federal law enforcement agencies, details about Gates’ interactions with Epstein began to surface. These revelations damaged Gates’ personal reputation significantly, accelerating the breakdown of his marriage. This year, the charity foundation under his name has also entrusted a third-party organization to conduct a thorough investigation into the connections between Gates and Epstein.
Gates said in his statement, “The public welfare work I am involved in relies on a network of partnerships built on reputation, with the aim of saving lives. Meeting Epstein was a serious judgment error that almost ruined all my public welfare efforts. His actions were completely contrary to the goals for which I have worked throughout my life. I always hope to create a world where everyone can live healthy and fulfilling lives.”
Gates and Epstein's connection began in 2011, when Epstein had already pleaded guilty in Florida for coercing underage girls into prostitution. He reached a controversial plea agreement with federal prosecutors. This agreement terminated investigations into several charges, including Epstein's long-term sexual abuse of dozens of underage girls, some of whom were only 14 years old.
In documents previously released by the House Oversight Committee of the United States Congress, there are photos of Gates with young women. Financial Times
Gates said that in 2011, when he met Epstein through someone else, he should have thoroughly investigated Epstein beforehand.
I vaguely knew that Epstein had legal issues, but I failed to recognize the severity of his crimes. Without verifying the background of the person with due diligence, I accepted the introduction of this meeting.
Before 2014, Gates and Epstein had several meetings, with the main topic being the establishment of a charitable fund that would benefit relevant parties with tax benefits. Epstein also discussed matters related to this fund with executives of JPMorgan Chase, hoping to earn service fees from it. However, this fund never came to fruition, and their communication regarding this matter essentially ended at the end of 2014.
Gates said that it was only after he took the initiative to cut off contact with Epstein that he learned that this notorious financier had been gathering information about his marital disputes, in order to manipulate and coerce him.
Gates stated in his statement: “Today, the contents of the open files are sufficient to prove that Epstein has been using information about my extramarital infidelity to threaten me.”
At the Gates Foundation staff meeting in early 2026, Gates personally confessed to having two extramarital affairs with two Russian women. This revelation was later discovered by Epstein, but he also stated that these extramarital affairs had nothing to do with Epstein's victims.
Gates said to employees at that time, “I have not done anything illegal, and I have not witnessed any illegal activities.”
Gates and his ex-wife Melinda divorced in 2021. In February of this year, she told media that the progress regarding the Epstein case reminded her of “some very, very special moments in our marriage.”
"Regarding those issues I don't know or even haven’t fully understood, it should be the people who need to answer them, including my ex-husband," she said emphasizing during the interview. “They need to be responsible for these things instead of me."
To me, every time these details are mentioned, I feel very uncomfortable, don't you think? She told the American Public Broadcasting Service: "It makes me recall some extremely painful moments in my marriage, but I have gotten past them. I deliberately leave these all behind and move forward. My current life is in an unexpected stage of beauty."
Apart from Gates, recently, the U.S. House of Representatives Oversight Committee has interviewed several key individuals within Epstein’s circle, including former U.S. President Bill Clinton and retail tycoon Leslie Wexner.
The U.S. House Oversight Committee also arranged two interviews, with James Staley, a Wall Street executive who had been working for Epstein at JPMorgan for a long time, and private equity giant Leon Black. Black paid Epstein $170 million to handle tax and estate planning matters.
