Audio By Carbonatix
Bill Gates, the billionaire Microsoft co-founder who owns a sprawling equestrian estate in Palm Beach County, appeared before Congress on Wednesday to answer questions about his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
During a closed-door interview with the House Oversight Committee, Gates described his meetings with Epstein as a “grave error in judgment” and denied having any knowledge of Epstein’s criminal conduct. Gates testified voluntarily as lawmakers continue probing the federal government’s handling of the Epstein case and examining the disgraced financier’s connections to powerful figures.
“I should not have met with Epstein,” Gates said in prepared remarks, according to multiple reports. He told lawmakers that he was introduced to Epstein through philanthropic circles and initially believed Epstein could help raise money for global health initiatives. Gates said he cut ties after concluding those promises would not materialize.
The testimony comes months after the Department of Justice’s release of additional Epstein-related records intensified scrutiny of several prominent figures whose names appeared in the files. Gates has repeatedly denied wrongdoing and has not been accused of any crime. His appearance follows testimony from other high-profile witnesses called by the committee as part of its ongoing Epstein investigation.
While Gates is most closely associated with Seattle and the Gates Foundation, he also has ties to South Florida.
In 2013, Gates began gobbling up real estate in Wellington, one of the nation’s premier equestrian communities. The property, acquired through an entity linked to Gates, spurred the growth of a portfolio of Wellington horse properties connected to the billionaire and his family’s equestrian interests.
Gates’ South Florida ties draw added attention because Palm Beach County was the hub of Epstein’s criminal activities. Epstein maintained a Palm Beach mansion where prosecutors say he sexually abused dozens of underage girls, and many of the investigations, lawsuits, and public records battles surrounding the financier have unfolded in South Florida over the past two decades.
Questions about Gates’ relationship with Epstein have lingered for years. Previous reporting revealed that Gates met with Epstein multiple times after Epstein had already pleaded guilty in Florida to soliciting prostitution from a minor. Gates has acknowledged that those meetings were a mistake and said he regrets allowing Epstein access to his orbit.
On Wednesday, Gates reiterated that position to Congress.
According to reports from the hearing, Gates told lawmakers he never visited Epstein’s properties, never observed criminal behavior, and never entered into any financial partnership with Epstein through the Gates Foundation. He also said Epstein attempted to leverage knowledge of Gates’ private life in an effort to maintain contact, but that those efforts failed.
The House Oversight Committee is expected to release a transcript of Gates’ testimony at a later date.
