Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates arrives to testify before the House Oversight Committee on June 10 in Washington, DC.Getty ImagesKey FactsGates sat for a transcribed interview with the House Oversight Committee, which took place behind closed doors and was not videotaped, though the transcript is expected to be publicly released. The billionaire told Congress in an opening statement he “never witnessed nor had any indication that Epstein was engaged in ongoing criminal conduct” and was “deeply sorry” for giving Epstein more credibility through their association, also expressing regret for his business dealings with the financier and saying he “should never have met with Epstein in the first place.” Gates has never been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein, but had a lengthy professional relationship with the financier, meeting with him multiple times between 2011 and 2014 about plans for a wealth fund that were ultimately unsuccessful. Gates has called his relationship with Epstein a “huge mistake” and confirmed he had affairs with women that the financier knew about, but his office has denied allegations Epstein made about Gates in the Epstein files as being “absolutely absurd,” including that Gates used drugs, had “illicit trysts” and contracted a sexually transmitted disease and then "surreptitiously" gave antibiotics for the disease to then-wife Melinda French Gates.
Published: June 10, 2026 5:23 pm
Source: Forbes — Read original