Bill Gates to testify before Congress over Jeffrey Epstein ties

Bill Gates is scheduled to testify in a congressional probe over his ties with Jeffrey Epstein, late convicted sex offender, on June 10, Wednesday.

The questioning, as part of their investigation into Epstein files, will take place behind closed doors on Capitol Hill and a transcript of the interview will be released later.

The congressional scrutiny came after the release of more than three million Epstein files by the Department of Justice in late January. The disclosure contained various names and figures belonging to high-profile ranks, including Bill Gates.

The testimony of Microsoft co-founder will mark one of the most high-profile appearances before Congress to date. Gates is preparing for the deposition with the assistance of Jake Greenberg, the former top investigative counsel to the House oversight committee.

In a statement to the Guardian before his appearance, a spokesperson for Gates said that Gates “welcomes the opportunity to appear before the committee” and said that “while he never witnessed or participated in any of Epstein’s illegal conduct, he is looking forward to answering all the committee’s questions to support their important work.”

Gates has not yet been accused of any wrongdoing and repeatedly denied having any knowledge regarding Epstein's criminal activities. However, the files exposed the nature of the relationship between him and disgraced sex offender. According to the released record, Gates met with Epstein between 2011 and 2014 to discuss potential philanthropic funding for global health and development.

The Gates Foundation later clarified that a small number of employees interacted with Epstein to secure funding. However, no funds were ultimately pursued later.

The records also released Gates’ picture with Epstein, traveling on Epstein’s private jet and spending time with him in various locations, including Washington, New York, France and Germany. The billionaire contended that he never stayed overnight at Epstein’s residences or visited his private island.