Bill Gates Explained His Relationship with Epstein: 'He Didn't Blackmail Me, But…'

Discussions about Microsoft founder Bill Gates' past relationship with Jeffrey Epstein resurfaced. In a closed session in the U.S. Congress that lasted about six hours, Gates testified that he had never visited Epstein's private island, had not witnessed any criminal activity, and had not had sexual relations with women connected to Epstein. One of the most striking headlines in Gates' statement was the allegation of blackmail.

He was grilled for hours in Congress.

Bill Gates appeared before Congress on June 10, 2026, as part of the U.S. House of Representatives Oversight and Government Reform Committee's investigation into the Jeffrey Epstein file.

A number of questions were posed to Gates, who voluntarily testified, ranging from how he met Epstein and their meetings, to whether he had visited the private island, and to his relationship with women around Epstein.

Gates claimed he met Epstein in 2011 and that their discussions were centered on philanthropic projects. He said Epstein could secure billions of dollars from wealthy donors for global health initiatives, and that is why he continued to meet with him.

However, years later, Gates said he regarded that decision as a 'serious judgment error' and that he should never have met Epstein.

I Never Went to the Candidate

One of the most striking questions directed at Gates concerned Epstein's private island in the Caribbean.

Gates said Epstein had invited him to the island, but he declined the invitations. He also stated that he did not visit Epstein's island, his farm, or his home in Florida.

It is known that Gates used Epstein's plane. According to records, Gates flew from Teterboro Airport in New Jersey to Palm Beach, Florida, aboard Epstein's aircraft in 2013. However, this flight was not recorded as a visit to Epstein's private island.

Detail That Stood Out in the Bribery Allegations

The most striking part of Gates' statement was the questions about whether Epstein had blackmailed him.

Gates said that Epstein did not openly blackmail him and did not pose a direct threat. However, he went on to describe a much more striking detail.

According to Gates, Epstein was aware of his extramarital affairs and tried to use that information to force Gates to work with him again. Gates argued that Epstein attempted to pressure him by adding some lies to the real facts, but was unsuccessful.

Gates also said that some later-emerging Epstein correspondence suggested that a blackmail attempt against him might have been planned.

Therefore, the statement circulating on social media that “Epstein never blackmailed me” does not reflect the entirety of Gates’s remarks. While Gates says he did not receive direct blackmail or an explicit threat, he also admits that Epstein tried to use information about his private life against him.

He admitted his extramarital affairs.

During the congressional hearing, Gates’s private life was also brought to the table.

Gates admitted that he had extramarital relationships with multiple women during his marriage. However, he said that those women were not introduced to him by Epstein and that Epstein had no role in arranging those relationships.

He also said he had no definitive information on how Epstein became aware of these relationships.

Questions About Photos Taken With Women

Questions were also asked about photos showing Gates with some women around Epstein.

Gates explained that after some meetings with Epstein, he was asked to have photos taken with the women around him. He claimed that he considered those people to be Epstein’s assistants and that his contact with them was limited to having photos taken.

Gates also stated that Epstein did not offer him women for sexual purposes, that he did not receive a massage arranged by Epstein, and that he had no sexual relations with people connected to Epstein.

Described meeting with Epstein as a 'big mistake'.

Gates said his contacts with Epstein were largely between 2011 and 2014. He explained that he ended the relationship after seeing that the promised large donor network did not deliver.

Gates, who also claimed he was unaware of Epstein's criminal activities and had witnessed no crime, admitted that meeting with him in the past could have given Epstein credibility.

The Microsoft founder said that his relationship with Epstein was a serious mistake in hindsight and expressed regret over those contacts.