Microsoft co-founder and billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates appeared voluntarily before the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday for a closed-door, transcribed interview. The appearance is part of a congressional investigation into the Justice Department's handling of the case involving convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Gates is the latest high-profile figure to testify after Justice Department files raised new questions regarding his contacts with the late financier.
During the hearing, Gates described meeting Epstein as a grave error in judgment and stated he should never have done so. He maintained that he never victimized anyone and that his meetings with Epstein were for philanthropic discussions, which he later ended. Gates further testified that he had no knowledge of Epstein's sex trafficking and abuse, stating he did not fully understand the extent of the crimes and had no indication of ongoing criminal conduct.
Gates also told lawmakers that Epstein was working to use information about his extramarital affairs. The committee, including Democrats, sought to determine the full nature of the relationship and what Gates knew about Epstein's crimes. Reports indicate that Gates prepared for the testimony with the help of Jake Greenberg, a former chief investigations counsel for the Oversight committee. A transcript of the interview is expected to be released at a later date.