Bill Gates admits regret over Epstein ties in closed-door testimony
Bill Gates told a closed-door hearing of the U.S. House Oversight Committee on Wednesday that he should never have met Jeffrey Epstein, but insisted he had never witnessed or participated in any illegal conduct by the late financier. The Microsoft co-founder’s testimony, delivered behind closed doors at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., marks the latest high-profile appearance in a congressional inquiry examining the network of associates who maintained ties to Epstein after his 2008 conviction for sex trafficking of minors.
Gates, who arrived at the Capitol on Wednesday morning, told lawmakers in his opening statement that he regretted the association and hoped his testimony would aid the committee’s work . A spokesperson for Gates had previously stated that the billionaire welcomed the opportunity to testify and emphasized that he had never been on Epstein’s private island or observed any wrongdoing . The hearing was held in private, and no immediate details about the substance of Gates’s answers were released.
The appearance follows the release of previously undisclosed documents, including a draft email that referenced alleged affairs involving Gates, according to Austrian newspaper *Der Standard* . Italian outlets *Il Fatto Quotidiano* and *La Repubblica* reported that Gates told lawmakers he had not known about Epstein’s criminal activities and reiterated that he had never visited the financier’s island .
The House Oversight Committee’s investigation into Epstein’s associates has intensified in recent months, with Gates joining a roster of prominent figures—including financier Leon Black and former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin—who have faced congressional scrutiny over their relationships with Epstein. The committee is examining how Epstein maintained access to elite circles despite his criminal record, and whether others enabled his alleged abuse of minors.
Gates’s testimony comes amid broader political shifts in Washington, where lawmakers have sought to scrutinize the extent of Epstein’s influence and the institutional failures that allowed him to operate for decades. In a statement carried by German business daily *Handelsblatt*, Gates said he wanted to help the investigation, signaling cooperation with the congressional probe . French newspaper *La Libre Belgique* quoted Gates as saying, “I hope my testimony will help the work of this commission” .
The closed nature of the hearing means further details may emerge only through subsequent disclosures or leaks. What remains clear is that Gates’s admission of poor judgment in associating with Epstein has done little to quell the broader scrutiny of how powerful individuals interacted with one of the most notorious criminals in modern American history.
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