Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates testified before the U.S. Congress as part of an investigation related to the case of financier Jeffrey Epstein. The billionaire admitted that he had contacts with Epstein in the past but said he was unaware of the full scale of the crimes in which Epstein was later implicated. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.
During his testimony, Gates stated that he never witnessed any illegal actions by Epstein. However, he said that the financier allegedly tried to pressure him using information about his personal life.
"These matters had nothing to do with my contacts with Epstein, but they caused pain to my family. Epstein tried to use information about my infidelities — in addition to many false claims he embellished — to force me to resume relations with him," Bill Gates said.
Gates' testimony was given to the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, which is examining the circumstances of the Epstein investigation, the actions of federal agencies, and issues related to his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell.
According to previously published materials from the U.S. Department of Justice, after Epstein's release from prison in 2008, he met with Gates several times. The documents indicate that the parties discussed possible charitable projects and funding for social initiatives.
Gates has repeatedly emphasized that his interaction with Epstein was limited to philanthropy topics and later called these contacts a mistake. The Gates Foundation also reported that the entrepreneur acknowledged responsibility for his own decisions and expressed regret over his cooperation with the financier.
Recall that in 2008, Jeffrey Epstein pleaded guilty to charges of soliciting a minor for prostitution. In 2019, he was charged with new counts related to sex trafficking. Before the trial began, Epstein was found dead in his jail cell. The official cause of death was ruled a suicide.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Congress continues to investigate the circumstances of the Epstein case, including possible law enforcement errors, plea deals, and the financier's ties to political and business elites.
According to a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll, only 10% of Americans believe that the administration of President Donald Trump helped bring those associated with Epstein to justice. Among Republican supporters, about 21% of respondents hold this view.