AP, WASHINGTON
Bill Gates on Wednesday said that he made a “grave error in judgement” by meeting with Jeffrey Epstein, but denied any wrongdoing as the Microsoft cofounder faced hours of questioning from lawmakers about his relationship with the disgraced financier.In an opening statement, Gates said he “should never have met with Epstein in the first place,” but that he “never witnessed nor had any indication that Epstein was engaged in ongoing criminal conduct.”Epstein was federally indicted in July 2019 on charges of sex trafficking of minors and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of minors.
Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates departs following a US House of Representatives Oversight Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington on Wednesday.
He died in a New York jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial.The tech billionaire testified before the US House of Representatives Oversight Committee in a closed-door deposition.
The committee chairman, US Representative James Comer, formally requested that Gates testify after he appeared multiple times in a trove of documents released by the US Department of Justice as part of its Epstein probe.As Gates arrived at the Capitol, he said that his appearance was voluntary and that he hoped his testimony would help lawmakers “find justice for the victims.”Gates did not take questions from reporters at the conclusion of the interview.Gates, who chairs the Gates Foundation, has not been accused in connection with Epstein’s crimes and has repeatedly denied any knowledge of Epstein’s abuse of girls.He has said the two met only to discuss philanthropy and previously described the relationship as “a huge mistake.”Lawmakers said they pressed Gates on why he continued interacting with Epstein after the deceased financier pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting prostitution from a minor.Gates was aware that Epstein had been convicted of “a horrific crime and continued to interact with him to seek money for his foundation,” said US Representative Robert Garcia, the top-ranking Democrat on the committee, who described Gates’ actions as “a horrific judgement call.”Gates said he was introduced to Epstein through people involved in his professional and philanthropic work and was drawn in by Epstein’s claims that he could help raise billions of dollars for global health initiatives.Their relationship began in 2011, three years after Epstein’s guilty plea in Florida, justice department records showed.Gates said he cut ties in 2014 after concluding that Epstein could not deliver on those promises.In the files are calendar entries for meetings between Gates and Epstein, e-mail correspondence between the two about philanthropic projects and photographs of Gates at events that Epstein also attended.He added that he never went to Epstein’s island or his other properties.Lawmakers offered accounts of the interview as they exited the room throughout the day.US Representative Tim Burchett described the questioning as “intense,” while US Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi said Gates was “combative” and “not terribly forthcoming or candid.”
