Bill Gates says he may have been near Jeffrey Epstein's victims during congressional testimony

Microsoft co‑founder Bill Gates testified before the U.S. House Oversight Committee, stating he never had direct contact with Jeffrey Epstein’s victims but acknowledging that he “may have been in the presence of the victims.” He emphasized that his three‑year relationship with Epstein was strictly professional and that he never witnessed or participated in any sexual misconduct. Gates said he had seen some of Epstein’s staff women on a flight and described how Epstein tried to use personal information – including details of Gates’s marital infidelity – to pressure him. He recounted an email from Epstein in 2013 requesting reimbursement for costs tied to a woman with whom Gates was having an affair, and noted that Epstein wrote “self‑addressed” emails containing unverified accusations against Gates. Throughout the closed‑door hearing, Gates denied having any sexually transmitted disease and rejected any wrongdoing, while the committee’s transcript was released by CNN.

The testimony comes amid renewed congressional scrutiny of Epstein’s network, with the Oversight Committee seeking further information about Gates’s past interactions with the financier.