Bill Gates questioned about Jeffrey Epstein by House Oversight

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates will be interviewed by a House committee on Wednesday about his controversial friendship with notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Mega billionaire Gates is one of the biggest names to be questioned. House Oversight and Government Reform CommitteeHe has been investigating Epstein’s network of high-profile friends for months.

Gates’ testimony came a day after the committee questioned Lesley Groff, Epstein’s former executive assistant.

Kentucky Republican Rep. James Comer, who chairs the committee, told reporters Tuesday that “everything is on the table” in terms of questions about Gates. “According to his lawyers, it sounds like he’s willing to testify, but he’s willing to testify and he didn’t fight it. And I appreciate that.”

According to The Wall Street Journal, Gates became friends with Epstein in 2011.

This was three years after Epstein pleaded guilty in Florida state court to soliciting an underage girl for prostitution. Epstein spent 13 months in prison in this case.

He died by suicide in prison in August 2019, weeks after his arrest on federal child sex trafficking charges.

The friendship between Gates and Epstein received renewed attention in late 2025 when documents about Epstein and his associates were released by the Justice Department and Congress.

Gates has not been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein.

CNBC requested comment Gates FoundationHis statement about the charity founded by Gates and his ex-wife Melinda Gates was included.

New York Times He reported Tuesday that Gates prepared his testimony with the help of Jake Greenberg, who was the oversight committee’s chief investigative counsel until December.

CNBC requested comment from Greenberg.

“Gates welcomes the opportunity to appear before the Committee,” a spokesman for Gates said in March.

“Although he did not witness or participate in any illegal conduct by Epstein, he looks forward to answering all of the committee’s questions in support of its important work,” the spokesperson said.

In February, Gates apologized to staff at a Gates Foundation town hall for his relationship with Epstein and admitted to having affairs with two Russian women. Wall StreetJournalHe stated that Epstein was aware of the events.

“I didn’t do anything illegal. I didn’t see anything illegal,” Gates said, according to the Journal.

However, Gates was also reported to have said at the event that “spending time with Epstein and bringing foundation executives to meetings with Epstein was a big mistake.”

“I apologize to the other people who were dragged into this situation because of the mistake I made,” Gates reportedly said.

The Gates Foundation previously said it had requested an outside review of the philanthropy’s past ties to Epstein. The foundation said it expects its board and management to receive an update on the review this summer.

Berkshire Hathaway Chairman Warren Buffett, a longtime friend of Gates, told CNBC’s Becky Quick in late March that he had not spoken to the Microsoft co-founder since the disclosure of “the whole thing with the Epstein files.”

“I don’t want to be in a position where I know things and be called as a witness,” Buffett said. “I don’t think there’s any point in talking too much until this situation is clear.”

Buffett called Epstein a con artist who took advantage of other people’s weaknesses.

“Men will like sex… and some will like not paying taxes, and he understood their weaknesses,” Buffett said.

Buffett has donated more than $43 billion Gates Foundation Since 2006.

— Karen James Sloan contributed to this report.