Bill Gates told Congress on Tuesday that his personal affairs were entirely separate from his past interactions with Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex trafficker. The billionaire philanthropist made a forceful denial during the hearing, stating "I have never victimized anyone."
Gates acknowledged that meeting with Epstein was a mistake, but drew a sharp line between those encounters and the marital infidelity that led to his 2021 divorce from Melinda Gates. The revelation of his extramarital relationships had prompted Microsoft to push for his resignation from its board in 2020, though the company later said the timing was unrelated to the Epstein meetings.
The Microsoft co-founder has faced mounting questions about his relationship with Epstein over the past three years. Gates met with the financier multiple times after Epstein's 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor. Internal Microsoft emails from 2011 showed that Gates continued corresponding with Epstein despite knowing his criminal history.
During the hearing, Gates defended his philanthropic work and reiterated his position that the Epstein connection was a matter of poor judgment rather than something more sinister. He emphasized his decades of charitable efforts through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which ranks among the world's largest private foundations.
The congressional testimony represents one of Gates' most direct public confrontations with questions about his judgment regarding Epstein, an association that has repeatedly drawn criticism from lawmakers and advocacy groups focused on sexual abuse prevention.
Author James Rodriguez: "Gates' need to address this head-on in Congress shows how the Epstein shadow still looms over his legacy, regardless of what he argues about separation between his personal failings and that particular mistake."
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