Bill Gates appears for Jeffrey Epstein interview. Here's what we know

Want to catch up on who has testified in the House Oversight investigation? Learn what we know about interviews with former Epstein assistants Lesley Groff and Sarah Kellen, prison guard Tova Noel and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

Bill Gates, billionaire co-founder of Microsoft and philanthropist, sat for a closed-door transcribed interview on Wednesday before the House Oversight Committee about his relationship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Gates, who has not been publicly accused of wrongdoing by any of Epstein's survivors, appears in the Justice Department's documents more than 3,000 times.

WATCH: Bill Gates says he hopes Epstein interview is 'helpful' for providing justice to survivors

Before entering the interview, Gates told reporters he hoped his "testimony is helpful to the important work of the committee to find justice for the victims."

Watch the clip in the player above.

In his opening statement, which was posted to his website, Gates affirmed that he "never witnessed nor had any indication that Epstein was engaged in ongoing criminal conduct." He added that he has "never victimized anyone," and described meeting with Epstein as a "grave error in judgement."

In a February interview with 9 News Australia, Gates acknowledged meeting the disgraced financier in 2011 and having a relationship with him for three years. Gates maintained in his opening statement that his relationship with Epstein revolved around his ability to raise billions of dollars for global health. Gates said he never sought nor reciprocated a personal relationship with Epstein.

By the time of their meeting, Epstein had already been indicted by a grand jury, arrested, pleaded guilty and served jail time for soliciting prostitution from a minor.

"I recall being aware that Epstein had faced prior legal issues, but I did not fully understand the extent of the crimes he committed," Gates said in his opening statement. "I accepted the introduction without applying the scrutiny I should have."

From across the political spectrum and the worlds of finance, entertainment and beyond, a number of powerful figures have been named in the Epstein documents released by the Justice Department. Inclusion in the files does not necessarily indicate wrongdoing, but the fallout has led to some high-profile resignations and calls for more accountability.

READ MORE: A list of powerful men named in the Epstein files, from Elon Musk to former Prince Andrew

The New York Times reported on Tuesday that Gates had retained attorney Jake Greenberg, who previously worked as chief investigations counsel for the House Oversight Committee and oversaw the Epstein probe, to help him prepare for the interview.

Gates' voluntary appearance is part of the committee's ongoing investigation into the federal government's handling of cases involving Epstein and his former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell.

Other notable figures who have provided testimony include former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, former Attorney General Pam Bondi, two of Epstein's former assistants and a former prison guard who was working the night before the financier was found dead in his cell.

Why does the committee want to talk to Gates?

References to Gates in the Justice Department's Epstein files detail meetings scheduled between the two men and correspondence about philanthropy. Photos released by Democrats in the House committee show Gates with Epstein's pilot Lawrence Visoski, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the former British prince, as well as women whose identities have been obscured.

Bill Gates appears with a woman, whose identity has been obscured, in this image from the Epstein estate released by House Oversight Committee Democrats in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 18, 2025. House Oversight Committee Democrats/Handout via Reuters

According to The Wall Street Journal, Gates told his staff that the women in the photos were Epstein's assistants and that he did not spend time with Epstein's victims.

Two emails from 2013 included in the files were sent by Epstein to himself. At least one appears to be written as a draft of a resignation letter from Boris Nikolic, an adviser to Gates, from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Nikolic, a physician and biotech venture capitalist, had a friendship with Epstein. The late financier named Nikolic as a backup executor for his will. Nikolic's name appears more than 14,000 times in the Justice Department's files.

The other email, addressed "dear bill," takes a more aggressive tone, blasting the recipient for disregarding their friendship. The emails describe Gates as having had extramarital affairs and an "std," and reference asking Nikolic to acquire antibiotics so that Gates could "surreptitiously give" them to then-wife Melinda French Gates.

Bill Gates told 9 News Australia that the claims were false. The Wall Street Journal reported that he admitted to his staff that he had affairs with two Russian women, but said Epstein survivors were not involved.

In his opening statement, Gates said his infidelity was unrelated to Epstein. However, he said Epstein unsuccessfully tried to use information of his affairs, "in addition to many lies that he layered on top," to pressure Gates to reengage with him. According to Gates, he stopped interacting with Epstein in December 2014 after he realized "Epstein would never deliver" on his philanthropic promises.

French Gates told NPR in February that reading about her ex-husband's communications with Epstein was "personally hard" because it brought up memories of "very painful times" in her marriage.

She added that any additional questions about Bill Gates' relationship with Epstein and his affairs are for him to answer.

In 2022, French Gates told CBS News that she "did not like" Gates meeting with Epstein.

She said she met Epstein once.

"I regretted it from the second I stepped in the door. He was abhorrent. He was evil personified. I had nightmares about it afterward," French Gates said.

Following the Justice Department's files release, the Gates Foundation announced this spring that it had "commissioned an external review to assess past foundation engagement with Epstein."

What has Gates said about his connections to Epstein?

Gates has expressed regret for his relationship with Epstein and maintained that none of his meetings with the late financier involved illicit activity.

In a 2021 interview, Gates told PBS News that he regretted having dinners with Epstein.

"He had relationships with people he said would give to global health, which is an interest I have. Not nearly enough philanthropy goes in that direction," Gates said. "Those meetings were a mistake. They didn't result in what he purported. And I cut them off."

Watch the clip in the player above.

Gates has insisted that he never did or saw anything illicit related to Epstein.

"It's factually true that I was only at dinners. I never went to the island, I never met any women," Gates told 9 News Australia in February. "I was foolish to spend time with him. I was one of many people who regret ever knowing him."