Bill Gates appearing before House committee investigating Epstein

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates appeared before a congressional committee on Wednesday, facing questions about his past relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. Gates aimed to assure lawmakers that he had no awareness of Epstein's alleged criminal activities and had never visited his properties, including his island, ranch, or Florida home.

In his opening statement, provided to CBS News, Gates explained that he was introduced to Epstein through trusted individuals who were working to establish a charitable fund. "I want to state very clearly: I never witnessed nor had any indication that Epstein was engaged in ongoing criminal conduct," Gates told the committee. He emphasized that he was never interested in fostering a personal relationship with Epstein and never reciprocated any such attempts.

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I want to state very clearly: I never witnessed nor had any indication that Epstein was engaged in ongoing criminal conduct. I never went to his island, his ranch, or his Florida home. I have never victimized anyone. While he may have sought to foster a personal relationship, I was never interested in that and never reciprocated.

Gates confirmed that he and Epstein discussed "potential giving structures" related to Gates' philanthropic fund between 2011 and 2014. However, he described these discussions as a "dead-end." During this period, Epstein was also involved in negotiating an exit package for an employee leaving Gates' private office. Gates did not name the employee, but records show Epstein frequently communicated with former Gates adviser Boris Nikolic regarding the negotiations.

Gates also revealed that he later learned Epstein had become aware of sensitive personal information, including his extramarital affairs. He stressed that these affairs were unrelated to his interactions with Epstein but caused pain to his family. Gates had previously apologized to staff at the Gates Foundation in February for his ties to Epstein, stating their relationship spanned from 2011 to 2014. A spokesperson for Gates confirmed he "welcomes the opportunity to appear before the Committee" and is "looking forward to answering all the committee's questions to support their important work."

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It was after this that I learned Epstein had become aware of sensitive information about my personal life, including the fact that I had been unfaithful in my marriage. These affairs had nothing to do with my interactions with Epstein, but they were painful for my family.