The Microsoft co-founder and billionaire philanthropist is scheduled to appear Wednesday for questioning by House lawmakers examining connections to the convicted financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The House Oversight Committee will conduct the interview with Bill Gates in a private session, following the same format used for other witnesses in their ongoing investigation. Committee transcripts are typically made public at a later date.
Committee chairman Republican U.S. Rep. James Comer issued the formal request for Gates’ testimony after his name surfaced repeatedly in Justice Department documents made public during the federal Epstein investigation.
The released papers contain names of influential figures spanning technology, finance, politics and various other sectors. While all individuals have rejected any involvement in Epstein’s criminal activities, some continued relationships with him even after his history of sexual misconduct became public knowledge.
The documentation includes scheduled appointments between Gates and Epstein recorded in calendars, electronic messages discussing charitable initiatives, and photographs showing Gates at gatherings where Epstein was also present.
Records show their business connection started in 2011, which was three years following Epstein’s guilty plea for soliciting prostitution from a minor, and continued through at least the end of 2014.
Federal prosecutors charged Epstein in July 2019 with sex trafficking of minors and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of minors. Authorities alleged Epstein established an extensive network involving underage girls, including some as young as 14, whom he sexually abused from 2002 to 2005. Epstein took his own life in 2019 while held in custody awaiting trial.
Gates, who leads the Gates Foundation, faces no allegations of misconduct related to Epstein and has stated he had no awareness of Epstein’s abuse of girls. He has maintained their meetings focused solely on charitable work and has described his connection with Epstein as “a huge mistake.”
Both Gates and his former spouse, Melinda French Gates, have acknowledged that his relationship with Epstein caused strain in their marriage.
The foundation confirmed in February that a limited number of staff members had interactions with Epstein due to his “claims that he could mobilize significant philanthropic resources for global health.” No joint charitable fund was established, and the foundation provided no payments to Epstein.
Foundation CEO Mark Suzman ordered an independent assessment in March to review the organization’s previous dealings with Epstein.
During a separate private questioning session in February, former President Bill Clinton answered lawmakers’ questions for over six hours regarding his connection with Epstein from more than twenty years ago. Epstein had made multiple visits to the White House during Clinton’s administration, and Clinton occasionally traveled aboard Epstein’s personal aircraft.
The former Democratic president stated he observed no indicators of Epstein’s sexual misconduct and ended their association well before Epstein’s 2008 guilty plea. Clinton has not faced any accusations of wrongdoing concerning Epstein.
Democratic members of the House committee have called for testimony from President Donald Trump, a Republican who maintained his own association with Epstein. Republicans have indicated they have found no evidence suggesting Trump engaged in any improper conduct during his documented friendship with Epstein.
