Bill Gates tells Congress Jeffrey Epstein used knowledge of his affairs to pressure him, but denies any wrongdoing

Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft, appeared behind closed doors before the US House Oversight Committee on Wednesday 10 June 2026 to answer questions about his past association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The 70-year-old billionaire read a prepared opening statement, portions of which were released to the press, in which he denied any knowledge of Epstein’s crimes and revealed that Epstein had attempted to use sensitive personal information against him.

Gates’s denial

Gates stated unequivocally that he never saw or suspected Epstein was engaged in illegal activity. “I never witnessed nor did I ever have any indication that Epstein was involved in any ongoing criminal activity,” he said, according to a transcript published on his personal website GatesNotes. He added, “I never harmed anyone.” Gates also stressed that he never visited Epstein’s island, ranch, or Florida home.

“I hope my testimony will help the important work of this committee, so that justice is served for the victims.”

The extortion claim

Gates disclosed that Epstein learned of his extramarital affairs and tried to use that knowledge to force him back into contact after he severed the relationship in December 2014. “I learned that Epstein had acquired sensitive information about my personal life, including the fact that I was unfaithful in my marriage,” Gates said. “These affairs had nothing to do with my interactions with Epstein, but they were painful for my family.” He added that Epstein paired this information with “a bunch of other lies” to pressure him, but ultimately failed.

“He did not succeed, but this shows some of the ways he tried to leverage his interactions with me to advance his agenda. I should never have met with Epstein in the first place.”

How the relationship began and ended

Gates told lawmakers he was introduced to Epstein in 2011, when Epstein promised he could raise billions of dollars for global health philanthropy. “I knew he had some legal troubles in the past, but I did not understand the scale of his crimes,” Gates said. “I agreed to meet with him without looking into the matter as much as I should have.” The two met several times, but Gates said contacts were limited and were severed completely by December 2014. Gates expressed deep regret, calling the association “a tragic error of judgment.”

Committee questions

House Oversight Chairman James Comer, a Republican, told reporters before the hearing that members wanted to know more about Gates’s relationship with Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence. “What did he see? Did he know what was happening? Was he involved in all this?” Comer asked.

“What did he see? Did he know what was happening? Was he involved in all this?”

Previous admissions

In late February 2026, Gates admitted to members of his foundation that he had extramarital affairs with two Russian women, while denying any involvement in Epstein’s actions. At that time he called his contacts with Epstein a “huge mistake.” A Gates spokesperson said in April that the billionaire had never witnessed or participated in any illegal activity and looked forward to answering the committee’s questions. Epstein died in prison in 2019 before his trial on sex-crime charges.