Bill Gates testifies in closed-door US House meeting over Epstein ties

Tech entrepreneur Bill Gates, the cofounder of Microsoft, has testified in a closed-door session with a panel in the United States House of Representatives about his connection to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

While Wednesday’s meeting was held in private, Gates shared his opening remarks online, wherein he denied any knowledge of Epstein’s criminal actions.

“I want to state very clearly: I never witnessed nor had any indication that Epstein was engaged in ongoing criminal conduct,” Gates wrote.

“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’s testimony was the latest in a string of appearances before the House Oversight Committee, as it seeks further information about Epstein’s connections — and whether powerful figures may have shielded the late financier from accountability.

Committee chair James Comer, a Republican, told reporters on his way to the hearing that lawmakers would probe Gates about his links to Epstein and his former partner, Ghislaine Maxwell.

“We just want to know about his relationship with Mr Epstein and Ms Maxwell. What did he see? Did he know what was going on? Was he involved in any of this?” Comer said.

“I will say this: No one’s accusing Bill Gates of any wrongdoing, and I certainly appreciate him coming in voluntarily.”