What is the story about?
WASHINGTON (AP) — Bill Gates said Wednesday that he made a “grave error in judgment” by ever meeting with Jeffrey Epstein as the Microsoft co-founder faced
questions behind closed doors from lawmakers about his relationship with the disgraced financier. In an opening statement provided to The Associated Press, Gates stated that he “should never have met with Epstein in the first place,” but emphasized that he “never witnessed nor had any indication that Epstein was engaged in ongoing criminal conduct.”
The tech billionaire became the latest powerful figure linked to Epstein to testify before the House Oversight Committee. As Gates arrived at the Capitol, he noted that he was there voluntarily and expressed hope that his testimony would be useful.“I hope my testimony is helpful to the work, the important work, of the committee, to find justice for the victims,” he remarked.
The committee chairman, Republican U.S. Rep. James Comer, formally requested that Gates testify after he appeared multiple times in a trove of documents released by the Justice Department as part of its Epstein probe. Before the interview on Wednesday, Comer told reporters that “no one’s accusing Bill Gates of any wrongdoing.”
“This is about the survivors of Epstein and his confidant Ghislaine Maxwell. This is about trying to figure out how the government failed,” Comer added.
Gates explained that he was introduced to Epstein through individuals involved in his professional and philanthropic work, and was drawn in by Epstein’s claims that he could help raise billions of dollars for global health initiatives. Gates indicated that he ended the relationship in 2014 after concluding Epstein could not deliver on those promises.
Furthermore, Gates asserted that he never visited Epstein's island or any of his other infamous properties.
“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 stated.
These remarks came as lawmakers reviewed documents detailing Gates’ interactions with Epstein. Included in the files are calendar entries for meetings between Gates and Epstein, email correspondence regarding philanthropic projects, and photographs of Gates at events attended by Epstein.
Their relationship reportedly began in 2011, three years after Epstein pleaded guilty in Florida to soliciting prostitution from a minor, and continued until at least late 2014, according to the documents.
Gates, who chairs the Gates Foundation, has not been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein and has consistently denied any knowledge of Epstein’s abuse of girls. He has characterized their relationship as “a huge mistake.”
Both Gates and his ex-wife, Melinda French Gates, have mentioned that his association with Epstein created tension in their marriage.
The foundation acknowledged in February that a small number of employees had met with Epstein based on his “claims that he could mobilize significant philanthropic resources for global health.” They never created a charitable fund together, and the foundation made no payments to Epstein.
Epstein was federally indicted in July 2019 on charges of sex trafficking of minors and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of minors. The Justice Department alleged that Epstein formed a vast network of girls, some as young as 14, for him to sexually abuse between 2002 and 2005. He died by suicide in a New York jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial.
The files released by the Justice Department include numerous prominent figures across various industries, all of whom have denied involvement in Epstein’s crimes, though some maintained or formed friendships with him even after his history of sexual abuse became public.
At another closed-door deposition in February, former President Bill Clinton faced more than six hours of questioning from lawmakers about his association with Epstein over two decades ago. Epstein visited the White House multiple times during Clinton’s presidency, and Clinton occasionally flew on Epstein's private jet.
The former Democratic president stated that he saw no signs of Epstein’s sexual abuse and ceased associating with him long before Epstein's 2008 guilty plea. Clinton has not been accused of any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein.
Democrats on the House committee have called for testimony from President Donald Trump, a Republican who had his own relationship with Epstein. Republicans have stated that they have not found any evidence suggesting Trump engaged in wrongdoing during his well-documented friendship with Epstein.
Comer indicated on Wednesday that he plans to ask attorney Alan Dershowitz to appear and that he has been in communication with the Justice Department about acting Attorney General Todd Blanche's potential questioning.
