Microsoft co-founder and Seattle philanthropist Bill Gates appeared before the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday for a closed-door deposition on his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, acknowledging he made a “grave error in judgment” by meeting with the disgraced financier but denying any knowledge of or involvement in Epstein’s crimes.
In an opening statement provided to the Associated Press, Gates said he “should never have met with Epstein in the first place” but maintained that he “never witnessed nor had any indication that Epstein was engaged in ongoing criminal conduct.” Gates described his appearance as voluntary and said he hoped his testimony would help lawmakers “find justice for the victims.” He did not take questions from reporters as he departed.
Gates has not been accused of any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein’s crimes. He said he was introduced to Epstein through people in his professional and philanthropic networks and was drawn in by Epstein’s representations that he could help raise billions of dollars for global health initiatives. According to Justice Department files, their relationship began in 2011, three years after Epstein pleaded guilty in Florida to soliciting prostitution from a minor. Gates said he cut ties in 2014 after concluding Epstein could not deliver on those promises. Gates also said he never visited Epstein’s island or other properties associated with the financier. “I have never victimized anyone. While he may have sought to foster a personal relationship, I was never interested in that and never reciprocated,” Gates said.
Lawmakers offered varied assessments of the testimony as the deposition stretched across several hours. Republican Representative Tim Burchett described the questioning as intense. Democratic Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi said Gates was “combative” and “not terribly forthcoming or candid.” The top-ranking Democrat on the committee, Representative Robert Garcia, took a more measured view, saying Gates pushed back on some questions but was ultimately answering them. Garcia described Gates’ continued interaction with Epstein after his 2008 conviction as “a horrific judgment call,” noting that Gates was aware of Epstein’s guilty plea and continued meeting with him to seek philanthropic funding.
Democratic Representative Melanie Stansbury said Gates acknowledged maintaining contact with Epstein because he believed the narrow relationship was an acceptable means to access wealthy donors for his foundation’s global health work. The Gates Foundation said in February that a small number of employees had met with Epstein based on his claims about mobilising philanthropic resources. No charitable fund was ever created with Epstein, and no payments were made to him.
Both Gates and his former wife Melinda French Gates, who made her own news this week as a new minority investor in the Seattle Kraken, have previously said Gates’ association with Epstein created strain in their marriage.
The committee’s investigation is part of a broader effort to understand the network of powerful people connected to Epstein and how government institutions failed to prevent his abuse. Committee Chairman Republican Representative James Comer said before the deposition began that the effort was focused on “trying to figure out how the government failed.” Epstein was federally indicted in July 2019 on charges of sex trafficking of minors. He died by suicide in a New York jail cell that year while awaiting trial.
Former President Bill Clinton faced more than six hours of questioning from the same committee in February about his association with Epstein. President Donald Trump, who also had a well-documented friendship with Epstein, has been sought for testimony by Democratic members, though Republicans on the committee say they have not found evidence that Trump engaged in any wrongdoing.
Comer said he is planning to seek testimony from attorney Alan Dershowitz and is in communication with the Justice Department about acting Attorney General Todd Blanche potentially appearing before the committee as well.
