Bill Gates Tells House Lawmakers Epstein Tried to Blackmail Him

Bill Gates told US lawmakers that he “did not fully understand the extent” of Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes when he associated with the late convicted sex offender to raise money for the Gates Foundation’s philanthropic work.

Gates also said he had never witnessed any criminal conduct by Epstein. He accused the financier of blackmailing him over his extramarital affairs, which Gates said had “nothing to do” with his interactions with Epstein but had been painful for his family.

The testimony is part of a congressional investigation into the US Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein case. The Republican-led House Oversight and Government Reform Committee is examining possible federal mismanagement, plea deals, Epstein’s death and his connections to influential figures in politics and business.

Documents released by the Justice Department showed that Gates met Epstein repeatedly after his 2008 conviction. The billionaire has previously said the relationship was confined to philanthropy-related discussions and that meeting Epstein was a mistake.

(reuters, max)