Bill Gates admits that associating with Epstein was "a serious mistake"
The multimillionaire appears before the US Congress and says he never had indications of criminal conduct by the pedophile
WashingtonBillionaire Bill Gates told the U.S. Congress on Wednesday that he made “a serious mistake” by maintaining a years-long relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. "I should never have met with Epstein," he said, adding that he never witnessed or had "any indication" that the convicted pedophile was involved in "criminal conduct." He also said that Epstein knew about his infidelities and “was prepared” to use them to pressure him.
The Microsoft co-founder is the best-known person among those who have testified before Congress as part of the House's investigation into the case of billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, and, specifically, into how the Justice Department is handling its own investigation, focused on the convict's relationship with women and girls from complicated backgrounds.
"I hope my testimony is useful for the committee's important work, to find justice for the victims," Gates said upon arriving at the Capitol in Washington, where, he insisted, he had appeared voluntarily. The statement took place behind closed doors before the House Oversight and Reform Committee, but will be released in writing in a few days.
Congress believes the Justice Department mishandled the cases against Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell. Epstein pleaded guilty to a prostitution charge in 2008 and served 13 months in prison until he committed suicide in jail. He was also accused of sex trafficking of minors, but died before being tried.
For this reason, the committee chairman, Republican Representative James Comer, decided to ask the technology mogul, who appears repeatedly in the case files, to testify. However, Comer stated on Wednesday that “no one is accusing Bill Gates of doing anything wrong.” “This is about survivors, trying to understand where the government failed,” he said.
Philanthropy partners
Documents released by the Department of Justice earlier this year revealed that Gates met with Epstein several times after he was released from prison. These documents included photos of Gates posing with women, but he assures that his relationship with Epstein was focused on philanthropy, and that he never went to Epstein's island or other properties.
Gates defends that Epstein promised he could help him raise billions of dollars for his charitable initiatives, especially related to global public health, thanks to his contacts. At first, he assured, he was interested, but in 2014 he decided to cut ties, having found that Epstein could not fulfill these promises.
“I never witnessed nor had any indication that Epstein was involved in criminal conduct,” he stated before Congress, according to the statement he published on his website. “I never went to his island, his ranch, or his home in Florida. And I have never victimized anyone. While he may have tried to establish a personal relationship, I was never interested and never reciprocated”.
His statements have included a half-hearted apology: “Knowing what I know now, I understand that even if he had secured the donors he promised, that would not have justified my relationship with him [...]. I did not fully understand the extent of the crimes he committed. I accepted the introduction without applying the scrutiny I should have applied”.