Gates Tells Congress: Epstein Used My Marriage Infidelity as Blackmail Leverage

​WASHINGTON — In a high-stakes, closed-door Capitol Hill session, billionaire philanthropist and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates testified before the House Oversight Committee, revealing that disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein attempted to blackmail him using knowledge of his extramarital affairs.

​During nearly six hours of intense questioning by lawmakers, Gates vehemently denied any involvement in or knowledge of Epstein’s sex-trafficking enterprise. He categorized his past association with the convicted sex offender as a catastrophic misjudgment driven entirely by a desire to secure global health funding.

​“At the outset, I want to state very clearly: I never witnessed nor had any indication that Epstein was engaged in ongoing criminal conduct,” Gates stated in prepared remarks. “I never went to his island, his ranch, or his Florida home. I have never victimized anyone.”

​Extortion and ‘Absurd’ Demands

​The testimony follows a massive, legally mandated dump of millions of pages of Department of Justice files related to Epstein. Among those records were unsent 2013 draft emails penned by Epstein that contained highly toxic, unverified allegations about Gates’ private life, including the claim that Gates had contracted a sexually transmitted disease and sought to covertly medicate his then-wife, Melinda French Gates. Gates’ representatives have aggressively blasted those specific claims as “absolutely absurd and completely false.”

​However, Gates conceded to Congress that Epstein had uncovered genuine vulnerabilities regarding his martial infidelities and tried to weaponize them.

​“I learned Epstein had become aware of sensitive information about my personal life, including the fact that I had been unfaithful in my marriage,” Gates told the panel. “These affairs had nothing to do with my interactions with Epstein… [but] Epstein was working to use information about my infidelities—in addition to many lies that he layered on top—to pressure me to re-engage with him.”

​According to investigators, Epstein attempted to insert himself into exit negotiations for an employee transitioning out of Gates’ private office in late 2014, leveraging the data to force Gates back to the table. Gates noted that the blackmail attempt failed, and all communication permanently ceased in December 2014.

​A ‘Grave Error in Judgment’

​Gates explained that he was originally introduced to Epstein in 2011 by trusted professional associates who pitched the financier as a gatekeeper capable of raising billions for global health initiatives. Though Gates knew Epstein had faced prior legal issues—specifically a 2008 Florida conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor—the tech mogul admitted he failed to perform basic due diligence.

​“I accepted the introduction without applying the scrutiny I should have,” Gates said. “I was so focused on the possibility of raising funds for global health that I allowed that goal to override my better judgment.”

​When the promised donor network turned out to be a “dead end,” Gates cut ties. Looking back, Gates expressed deep remorse for how his stature may have been manipulated. “If the time I spent with Epstein lent him any credibility, I am deeply sorry.”

​Broadening Congressional Probe

​The House Oversight Committee, chaired by Rep. James Comer (R-KY), has significantly intensified its investigation into Epstein’s web of powerful associates. Gates is the latest in a string of high-profile figures to provide transcribed interviews to the panel, joining former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

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​Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle characterized Gates as cooperative during the session, noting that his testimony provided helpful context regarding other influential figures within Epstein’s social orbit.

​Before stepping into the secure hearing room, Gates emphasized to reporters that he was testifying voluntarily. “I hope my testimony is helpful to the important work of the committee to find justice for the victims,” he said.