Epstein Used Microsoft Co-Founder’s Marital Affairs as ‘Leverage’, Gates Tells Congress

Jeffrey Epstein attempted to use personal information about Bill Gates’s extramarital affairs to persuade him to do business with the financier after the Microsoft’s founder lost interest in the relationship, Mr. Gates told a closed-door meeting of House investigators on Wednesday.In a prepared opening statement to the House Oversight Committee investigating Epstein’s criminal conduct, Mr. Gates confirmed that Epstein attempted “to use information about my infidelities — in addition to many lies that he layered on top — to pressure me to re-engage with him.” “I see now that he sought to build an image of legitimacy around himself, using connections to reputable and powerful people to deflect scrutiny and attempt to rehabilitate his reputation,” Mr. Gates said. Mr. Gates’s relationship with Epstein has come under renewed scrutiny following the release this year of Department of Justice files containing emails, photographs, and other communications linking the two men. Among the images released was a photo showing Mr. Gates alongside Epstein, banker Jes Staley, and former Harvard University President Larry Summers at a 2011 Manhattan dinner. Emails obtained by investigators also showed Epstein making salacious claims about Mr. Gates’ alleged conduct. The scrutiny intensified further when Mr. Gates’s ex-wife, Melinda, cited his association with Epstein as a contributing factor to the dissolution of their 27-year marriage.“I was so focused on the possibility of raising funds for global health that I allowed that goal to override my better judgment. That is a sobering realization, and it has reinforced for me the importance of being more attentive to how access and reputation can be manipulated by people acting in bad faith,” Mr. Gates lamented in his prepared remarks.Mr. Gates appeared voluntarily before the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday about his relationship with the late financier and convicted sex offender. In his statement, he offered a detailed account of how he was introduced to Epstein in 2011 through trusted professional contacts. “Epstein claimed he could raise billions of dollars for global health,” Mr. Gates said, adding that he “accepted the introduction without applying the scrutiny I should have.”The two met five times between 2011 and 2012, with more extensive conversations following in 2013 and 2014. By the end of 2014, Mr. Gates concluded the relationship was going nowhere. “It was clear that no one in the group was interested enough to move forward,” he said, adding that he “stopped communicating or meeting with him” in December 2014.The oversight panel, led by Chairman James Comer, a Kentucky Republican, has sought to understand the nature of the pair’s association and whether Mr. Gates had any knowledge of Epstein’s ongoing criminal conduct, including the late money manager’s procuring of women to satisfy the proclivities of the rich and famous. Despite the damaging disclosures, Mr. Comer sought to shield Mr. Gates from suspicion. “I will say this: No one’s accusing Bill Gates of any wrongdoing, and I certainly appreciate him coming in voluntarily.” Before entering the hearing room, Mr. Gates told reporters that he was “glad to be here voluntarily. I hope my testimony is helpful to the important work of the committee to find justice for the victims.” In his testimony, he called his meeting with Epstein “a grave error in judgment.” “If the time I spent with Epstein lent him any credibility, I am deeply sorry,” he said.Participants in the meeting have not revealed other details about what else occurred or other questions lawmakers asked behind closed doors. The inquiry is expected to continue, with Mr. Comer indicating he would next seek to interview Alan Dershowitz, Epstein’s former criminal defense attorney. Wednesday’s session marked the committee’s 15th interview in its ongoing bipartisan investigation into Epstein’s network.

Epstein Used Microsoft Co-Founder’s Marital Affairs as ‘Leverage’, Gates Tells Congress

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