Bill Gates Testifies His Extramarital Affairs Had No Connection to Epstein
Microsoft founder Bill Gates appeared Wednesday before the House Oversight Committee to answer questions about his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Gates testified that he never witnessed or knew about Epstein's crimes and that he was only introduced to him in 2011 for philanthropic work involving global health. Gates admitted Epstein attempted to use information about his extramarital affairs to pressure him to continue working together, but Gates said these affairs had nothing to do with their interactions. Gates said the relationship lasted from 2011 to 2014 and that he ended contact after realizing Epstein could not deliver on promises to raise billions of dollars. Gates characterized meeting with Epstein as a grave error in judgment and expressed regret. Gates has not been accused of any wrongdoing and said he was unaware of the full extent of Epstein's crimes at the time they met.
Key facts
- Gates testified for nearly six hours in a closed-door interview on June 10, 2026
- Gates met Epstein in 2011 and ended contact in December 2014
- Epstein sent draft emails claiming Gates had affairs with Russian women, including unverified claims about an STI
- Gates admitted to having affairs with two Russian women during his testimony
- Gates said Epstein knew of his affairs and tried to use that information to pressure him to continue work on a donor-advised fund project
- Gates has not been accused of any crimes related to Epstein
- The Gates Foundation commissioned an external investigation into its ties to Epstein in March 2026
How different outlets framed it
Left-leaning coverage: Democratic lawmakers including Rep. Melanie Stansbury highlighted that Gates continued associating with Epstein even after knowing he was a convicted sex offender, questioning why he would accept a relationship with a registered sex offender. Some Democrats expressed concern about Gates prioritizing access to wealthy donors over ethical concerns and want to understand who else was in Epstein's network.
Right-leaning coverage: Conservative outlets like Fox News reported on Gates's statement that his affairs had nothing to do with Epstein and that he said he did nothing illicit. Fox News also noted Republican Rep. Tim Burchett's observation that Gates appeared well-coached in his answers, suggesting skepticism about the credibility of his testimony.
Limits of this briefing
The interview was conducted behind closed doors and transcripts have not yet been released, so detailed analysis of specific exchanges is limited. Some reporting includes hearsay about what Gates said based on lawmakers' statements about the closed-door testimony rather than direct quotes from the full transcript.
Sources
- CNN: Bill Gates tells Congress Jeffrey Epstein tried to use information about his infidelities to get close to him Centre
- NPR: Bill Gates tells lawmakers he was not aware of Epstein's crimes Centre
- Fox News: Bill Gates claims Jeffrey Epstein weaponized knowledge of his affairs Right
- CBS News: Bill Gates tells Congress that meeting Epstein was "a grave error in judgment" Centre
- Washington Post: Bill Gates tells Congress he didn't know of Epstein's crimes, renounces ties Centre