Bill Gates to Testify Before House Committee in Epstein Probe

WASHINGTON — Bill Gates, the billionaire philanthropist and Microsoft co-founder, will sit for a transcribed interview before the House Oversight Committee on June 10, a source familiar with the matter confirmed. The session is a key part of the committee's sweeping investigation into the network and associations of Jeffrey Epstein.

The committee's Republican chairman, Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, formally requested Gates's appearance in a March 3 letter, stating the panel believes Gates possesses information pertinent to its inquiry, based on public reporting and documents obtained from the Justice Department.

Gates's scheduled deposition places him among a growing list of high-profile figures questioned by the committee, which has already interviewed former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell. The probe seeks to unravel the extent and nature of Epstein's connections within elite financial, philanthropic, and political circles.

The relationship between Gates and Epstein, which the billionaire has acknowledged spanned from 2011 to 2014, has drawn intense scrutiny. In February, Gates apologized to staff at the Gates Foundation for his past association with the disgraced financier. The apology followed the release of a trove of documents, including a 2013 email in which Epstein made unsubstantiated and salacious claims about Gates's personal life. A spokesperson for Gates has vehemently denied those allegations, calling them "absolutely absurd and completely false" and characterizing them as part of Epstein's efforts to "entrap and defame."

Further documents reveal Epstein's later attempts to re-engage with Gates, specifically pitching a donor-advised fund—a charitable vehicle Epstein sought to operate. Text messages from 2017 show an adviser to Gates communicating with Epstein, indicating Gates's interest was thwarted by his then-wife, Melinda French Gates. The couple divorced in 2021.

"This isn't just about one meeting; it's about accountability," said David Chen, a political analyst based in D.C. "The committee is methodically mapping a web of influence. Gates's testimony could provide crucial context on how Epstein operated and who enabled him."

Others were less measured in their response. Maya Rodriguez, an advocate for survivors of sexual abuse, reacted sharply: "It's grotesque. We have one of the world's most powerful philanthropists, who apologized for 'ties' to a convicted predator, now being hauled before Congress to explain himself. This isn't a bureaucratic footnote—it's a stark reminder of how privilege insulates the powerful from consequences for far too long."

In contrast, Robert Keating, a retired corporate lawyer, urged perspective: "People have business relationships with unsavory characters all the time without knowing the full picture. The committee has a job to do, but we should wait for the facts from the testimony before casting judgment on Gates's character or his philanthropic work."

The committee continues to expand its witness list, with upcoming interviews scheduled for Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and others connected to the investigation.