Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates voluntarily met with House Oversight Committee investigators on Wednesday in a private session to discuss his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, reflecting a broader shift in public perception that is impacting the Seattle-based organizations he established and supports.
Prior to his testimony, Gates released a statement offering his most comprehensive public explanation of the situation to date. He stated that he was first introduced to Epstein in 2011 with the understanding that it could help secure billions in funding for global health initiatives, and that he ended all contact in late 2014. Gates acknowledged that meeting with Epstein was inappropriate, describing it as a “grave error in judgment” that jeopardized his philanthropic and global health efforts.
“If the time I spent with Epstein lent him any credibility, I am deeply sorry,” Gates stated. “I have learned a significant lesson and am now far more careful about who I engage with even in a limited capacity.”
Gates also discussed marital infidelity that emerged in related documents, revealing that Epstein became aware of it and attempted to leverage this information to reestablish contact, though these efforts were unsuccessful. The Wall Street Journal had previously reported that Gates admitted to two extramarital relationships with Russian women during a Gates Foundation employee meeting in February.
According to an email from a Gates spokesperson, he “welcomes the opportunity to appear before the Committee. While he never witnessed or participated in any of Epstein’s illegal conduct, he is looking forward to answering all the committee’s questions to support their important work.”
The Gates Foundation, where he serves as chair, announced it had initiated an independent review earlier this year to examine its historical interactions with Epstein and evaluate procedures for vetting new partnerships. During the February employee gathering, CEO Mark Suzman expressed feeling “somewhat sullied” by the connection and noted it had complicated the foundation’s mission, the Journal reported.
The foundation has publicly stated it “regrets having any employees interact with him in any way.”
TerraPower, the nuclear energy firm based in Bellevue that Gates founded and chairs, conducted an all-staff meeting where employees questioned the Epstein connections involving both Gates and Nathan Myhrvold, the former Microsoft chief technology officer who co-founded TerraPower and serves as vice chairman.
The Journal additionally reported that Breakthrough Energy, Gates’s climate investment organization, has encountered difficulties raising capital for a new fund, with certain investors pointing to the Epstein association as a concern.
Gates was absent from this year’s Microsoft CEO Summit, and the dinner he customarily hosts at his residence in conjunction with the event did not occur. A Microsoft representative told the Journal, “While it didn’t work out this year, we’ve already extended an invitation for Bill to attend the CEO Summit next year.”
During Wednesday’s Capitol Hill appearance, Gates participated in a transcribed interview format rather than public testimony, with the transcript expected to become available in coming days. Gates has not faced criminal charges nor been accused of any wrongdoing by Epstein’s victims.
The evolving situation continues to create ripple effects across multiple organizations associated with Gates, from the foundation bearing his name to various business ventures and investment firms he leads. The fallout demonstrates how reputational concerns can extend far beyond individual consequences, affecting entire institutions and their missions. As organizations navigate these challenges, they face questions about partnership vetting processes, institutional values, and maintaining stakeholder confidence while continuing their core work in areas ranging from global health to clean energy innovation.