Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates told a congressional committee on Wednesday that sex offender Jeffrey Epstein exploited information about his extramarital affairs to try to pressure him to resume contact after he began breaking ties.
Gates made the comment in an opening statement during a closed-door hearing with the House Oversight Committee, which is investigating the Justice Department’s handling of investigations into Epstein and people associated with him. The testimony lasted several hours.
A representative for Gates released the text of the statement before the session, which was scheduled for about four hours, but reports indicate that the questioning went on for longer.
In the statement, the billionaire reinforced that he deeply regrets any contact with Epstein and that he never saw him involved in criminal conduct. Gates also categorically stated that he “never victimized anyone” and that he never visited the financier’s island, ranch or Florida home.
Revelations about interactions between Gates and Epstein gained traction shortly after Epstein’s 2019 arrest on sex trafficking charges. The information damaged the philanthropist’s image, influenced the end of his marriage and led the Gates Foundation to commission, this year, an external review into the links with the sex offender.
“In the work I do, reputation is the foundation for developing life-saving partnerships. Finding Epstein was a serious error in judgment and put that work at risk,” Gates said. “His behavior was antithetical to all of my efforts to contribute to a world where everyone has the chance to live a healthy and productive life.”
Gates detailed that he cut off contacts in December 2014, when he realized that Epstein would not fulfill his promises to attract new donors to philanthropic causes. He said Epstein tried, unsuccessfully, to use sensitive data about his personal life, including infidelities in his marriage, no relationship with Epstein other than several lies, to force a rapprochement.
The philanthropist reinforced that he was never interested in a personal relationship with Epstein and that he did not respond to any attempt in this direction. He voluntarily attended the hearing and expressed hope that his testimony would contribute to the pursuit of justice for the victims.
