Bill Gates testified before the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, acknowledging he made a “grave error in judgment” by meeting the disgraced financier but denying any wrongdoing, according to fortune.com. Gates said he should never have met Epstein and stated he never witnessed or had any indication of Epstein’s ongoing criminal conduct.
The testimony followed a Fortune investigation revealing Epstein’s financial support for Gates’ reported ex-girlfriend, Mila Antonova, including paying for her coding school, assisting with her U.S. visa application, and hosting her at his New York home. Epstein leveraged this connection and others to pressure Gates into investing in his donor-advised fund. Epstein also had a significant presence at Microsoft after Gates stepped down as CEO, with Steve Sinofsky, then-head of Windows, paying Epstein $1 million to negotiate his exit in 2012.
Gates is the latest high-profile individual linked to Epstein to testify before Congress. The House Oversight Committee chairman, Republican Rep. James Comer, formally requested Gates’ testimony after his name appeared multiple times in documents released by the Justice Department. The revelations highlight Epstein’s extensive influence within powerful circles, including major tech companies like Microsoft.
The committee’s inquiry into Epstein’s network continues as Gates’ testimony adds to the public record. The documents detailing Epstein’s involvement with Gates and Microsoft were disclosed in the Justice Department’s release earlier this year, prompting further congressional scrutiny.