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Bill Gates testified before the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday as part of the ongoing investigation into Jeffrey Epstein and his vast network of powerful associates.
During the closed-door testimony, Gates revealed that Epstein attempted to blackmail him.
Gates told lawmakers that Epstein tried to use information about his extramarital affairs as leverage in an effort to keep him within the disgraced financier’s orbit.
Probably not the kind of networking opportunity Gates had in mind when he befriended the late sex trafficker.
According to People, Gates acknowledged that Epstein became aware of affairs he had while married to Melinda French Gates and attempted to use that information to pressure him into maintaining contact.
Gates said the effort was unsuccessful and insisted that his personal misconduct had nothing to do with his meetings with Epstein.
The Microsoft co-founder has spent much of the past year trying to explain why he continued meeting with Epstein after the financier’s 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor.
Gates says he believed Epstein might be able to help raise money for global health initiatives. That plan apparently went nowhere.
Gates testified that he cut off contact after realizing Epstein couldn’t deliver the philanthropic support he had promised. Their association reportedly ended in 2014.
If there’s one sentiment that Gates has repeated consistently throughout this saga, it’s that his relationship with Epstein was a mistake.
During his congressional appearance, Gates again described his dealings with Epstein as a “grave error in judgment” and expressed regret for ever associating with him.
He maintained that he never witnessed illegal conduct, never visited Epstein’s private island, and never participated in any criminal activity.
Still, critics have long questioned why one of the world’s most powerful businessmen continued meeting with a convicted sex offender in the first place.
That’s a question Gates may never fully escape.
The testimony comes amid renewed attention on Epstein’s connections to wealthy and influential figures following the release of additional documents tied to the federal investigation.
Earlier this year, Gates publicly acknowledged past affairs and admitted that his association with Epstein had caused significant damage to both his reputation and the work of the Gates Foundation.
Reports have also revealed allegations that Epstein attempted to use knowledge of Gates’ personal life as a means of manipulating the tech billionaire sevral years ago.
For now, Gates is not accused of any wrongdoing related to Epstein’s crimes.
But as Congress continues digging into Epstein’s network, the embattled philanthropist appears determined to make one thing clear:
Meeting Jeffrey Epstein remains one of the biggest regrets of his life.
We will have further updates on this developing story as new information becomes available.