"Grave Error in Judgment" Bill Gates Explains To Congress Why He Met With Jeffrey Epstein

Bill Gates spent hours answering questions from members of Congress this week as lawmakers examined his past association with Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier whose name continues to surface in federal reviews and congressional inquiries.

In sworn testimony, Gates acknowledged that meeting Epstein was a "grave error in judgment" and said he regretted giving any credibility to a man later exposed as a convicted sex offender. According to Reuters, Gates told lawmakers he never witnessed criminal behavior by Epstein and did not fully understand the extent of Epstein's crimes when the relationship first started.

Probe into Gates's relationship with Epstein focused on why those meetings continued after the 2008 conviction. Gates testified that he believed Epstein could help connect wealthy donors to global health projects supported by the Gates Foundation.

Chronology presented to lawmakers stretched from 2011 through 2014. Gates said the relationship ended after promised fundraising opportunities failed to materialize and that he eventually concluded the association had been a mistake.

Committee members also explored claims that Epstein attempted to use information about Gates's personal life to maintain contact. Gates testified that Epstein became aware of sensitive details involving extramarital affairs and later tried to use that information as leverage.

Gates was emphatic when he stated that he never visited Epstein's private island, never participated in criminal activity and never harmed anyone. He told lawmakers that his biggest mistake was believing meetings centered on philanthropy would lead somewhere productive.

Capitol Hill investigators view the session as part of a broader congressional effort to understand how Epstein built relationships with influential figures across technology, finance, politics and philanthropy. Gates has not been accused of criminal wrongdoing in connection with Epstein.

Transcripts from the interview are expected to receive close scrutiny as investigators continue examining documents, witness accounts and other material connected to Epstein's network. For Gates, the appearance added another public chapter to a relationship he has repeatedly described as one of the biggest misjudgments of his professional life.