Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is expected to appear before US lawmakers on Wednesday for questioning over his past relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The hearing will take place before the House Oversight Committee as part of ongoing scrutiny into Epstein’s network of influential and wealthy associates, which continues to attract public and political attention years after his death in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
Gates, one of the world’s richest individuals and a prominent philanthropist, was invited after newly released Justice Department documents raised further questions about his association with Epstein.
The committee has also previously questioned other high-profile figures, including Bill and Hillary Clinton and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
A spokesperson for Gates told AFP that he welcomed the opportunity to appear before lawmakers, stressing that he had “never witnessed or participated in Epstein’s illegal conduct.”
Among the documents under review is a 2013 draft email in which Epstein appeared to suggest he had assisted Gates in managing personal issues linked to extramarital affairs, including claims involving treatment for a sexually transmitted infection.
‘foolish’ association
Gates has dismissed the email as fake and denied the allegations connected to it. He previously told Australian television in February that he had been “foolish” to associate with Epstein but maintained that their interactions were unrelated to Epstein’s criminal activities.
“Every minute I spent with him, I regret, and I apologize that I did that… It’s factually true that I was only at dinners. I never went to (his) island, I never met any women,” he said.
He also maintained that his presence in Epstein-related documents does not imply any wrongdoing.
Reports further suggest that Gates informed staff at his foundation that he had been involved in relationships with two Russian women, according to the Wall Street Journal, though he denied any interaction with Epstein’s alleged victims.
His association with Epstein reportedly began in 2011, several years after Epstein’s earlier conviction in Florida for soliciting a minor.
Gates is also said to have continued the relationship for some time despite concerns reportedly raised by his then-wife, Melinda French Gates, in 2013 before it eventually ended years later following growing scrutiny.
Melinda French Gates, who divorced the Microsoft co-founder in 2021, has stated that any remaining questions about the relationship should be addressed by Gates himself.
The House Oversight Committee’s inquiry forms part of a broader investigation into Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell and how authorities handled the case, as well as the release of related documents.
Democrats on the committee are expected to question Gates on what he knew about Epstein’s crimes and the full nature of their association.
The interview will not be recorded on video, unlike some previous sessions released by the committee.
Meanwhile, US media reports indicate Gates has engaged legal counsel and received preparatory guidance ahead of the appearance, a move that ethics observers say raises optics concerns but does not necessarily breach any rules.