Bill Gates Says Epstein Wanted Personal Relationship, But He Never Reciprocated

On Wednesday, Bill Gates appeared before a closed‑door House Oversight Committee session to discuss his ties to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Gates maintained that he never entertained a personal relationship and that his involvement with Epstein was limited only to discussion of fundraising for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

During his opening statement, Gates said, “I never went to his island, his ranch, or his Florida home. I have never victimized anyone.” He added that Epstein had sought to establish a personal link, but Gates declared that he was never interested in that and had never reciprocated.

Gates also revealed that Epstein used alleged personal indiscretions—claims that he had multiple affairs—to pressure the former Microsoft co‑founder into further cooperation. “Epstein was working to use information about my infidelities in order to lobby me,” Gates told the committee. He asserted that the billionaire had no role in the foundation’s work and that No formal collaborations were completed.

The committee’s top Democrat, Robert Garcia, said that Gates was aware Epstein could be charged with grave crimes and yet continued to interact with him to secure funds. Gates claimed the fundraising attempts had stalled by 2014, prompting him to stop contact altogether.

Epstein’s death in 2019 and the conviction of Ghislaine Maxwell have left many questions about the extent of the billionaire’s knowledge about Epstein’s activities. Gates’ testimony attempts to clarify that he had not engaged in wrongdoing, while prosecutors and lawmakers continue to scrutinize his past associations.