House Committee Releases Transcript of Bill Gates’ June Testimony on Jeffrey Epstein Ties

A transcript of Bill Gates' nearly six-hour testimony before the House Oversight Committee on June 10 was released Tuesday, CBS News reported. Gates said he met Jeffrey Epstein roughly a dozen times in person after becoming acquainted in 2011 through adviser Boris Nikolic, with visits to Epstein's homes in New York and Paris plus one flight on Epstein's plane from New York to Florida.

Gates stated he last had contact with Epstein in 2015.

He said he was unaware of Epstein's ongoing criminal conduct at the time but knew of Epstein's 2008 guilty plea in Florida for soliciting a minor for prostitution. Epstein was arrested on federal sex trafficking charges and died in jail in 2019. Gates told the committee that Epstein appeared to know details of two affairs involving a bridge player and a nuclear scientist and requested several thousand dollars in reimbursements tied to one of the women.

"These affairs had nothing to do with my interactions with Epstein, but they were painful for my family," Gates said. He admitted to a third affair and said he was unaware Epstein and Nikolic may have been connected through that woman. Epstein participated in negotiating an exit package for Nikolic, with emails showing him acting as a middleman during severance talks, according to the transcript.

Gates said he and Epstein discussed potential giving structures for his philanthropic fund, but the talks ended without result. He denied ever paying Epstein and said conversations focused on identifying wealthy donors for global health causes. Gates stated that emails suggest Epstein tried to use information about his infidelities, along with lies, to pressure him to reengage.