Key facts
- Bill Gates testified to Congress that Jeffrey Epstein attempted to blackmail him over extramarital affairs.
- Gates denied being blackmailed, stating no explicit threats were sent to him.
- Gates stated he was unaware of Epstein's criminal behavior and had not victimized anyone.
- Gates acknowledged extramarital affairs but denied involvement in Epstein's activities.
- Epstein's former assistant, Lesley Groff, testified she was unaware of his crimes and connected calls between Donald Trump and Epstein.
Bill Gates told US lawmakers that the late financier Jeffrey Epstein had sought to "blackmail" him over extramarital affairs, according to a transcript of his closed-door testimony before the House Oversight Committee. Gates, who began associating with Epstein in 2011, three years after Epstein pleaded guilty to prostitution charges involving minors, stated that while he was not explicitly blackmailed, Epstein's "brainstorming" suggested an intent to exploit knowledge of Gates's affairs.