微软联合创始人比尔·盖茨(Bill Gates)周三告诉众议院监督委员会(House Oversight Committee)，调查政府对杰佛里·爱泼斯坦(ofJeffrey Epsteinthat)的调查，根据他准备的开场白，盖茨“从未伤害任何人”，与爱泼斯坦会面“是一个严重的判断错误”。
盖茨出现在一个闭门场合，面临有关他与已故金融家关系的问题，这是监督委员会自开始调查政府对臭名昭著的性犯罪者的调查以来进行的最高调的采访之一。
根据熟悉采访的多个消息来源，盖茨告诉立法者，当他第一次开始与爱泼斯坦接触时，以及在他与他相处的整个时间里，他知道爱泼斯坦有一项本质上是性的刑事定罪，但坚持说他不知道爱泼斯坦犯罪的细节。
盖茨告诉立法者，他和爱泼斯坦不是朋友，除了爱泼斯坦建议他可以帮助盖茨为慈善事业筹集资金的晚餐之外，他们没有其他社交活动。消息人士称，盖茨说晚宴上没有年轻女性在场。
司法部今年为回应爱泼斯坦透明法案而公布的数百万份文件中，包括爱泼斯坦声称盖茨有婚外情导致性传播感染的电子邮件草稿——盖茨否认了这一指控。
盖茨承认有过两次婚外情，爱泼斯坦后来才知道。据消息人士透露，他说他是和爱泼斯坦之外的女人单独见面的，而且爱泼斯坦从未向他提供过女人。
有消息称，盖茨说他不确定爱泼斯坦是何时第一次知道他的婚外情的，但他相信他的前科学顾问鲍里斯·尼科利茨告诉了爱泼斯坦。
我从未伤害过任何人
“我从未目睹也没有任何迹象表明爱泼斯坦参与了正在进行的犯罪行为。我从未去过他的岛、他的农场或他在佛罗里达的家。我从来没有伤害过任何人，”根据一份准备好的开庭陈述，盖茨在闭门出庭时作证。
盖茨说，爱泼斯坦试图与他“培养私人关系”，但他说，他的重点仍然是利用爱泼斯坦为盖茨的全球健康倡议招募新的捐赠者。
“我与爱泼斯坦的互动始于有限的几次预备会议——2011年三次，2012年两次——期间我谈到了我工作的目标，”盖茨说，根据他的声明。“我们在2013年和2014年开始了更广泛的对话。讨论的重点是确定潜在的捐赠结构，如捐赠基金，以及如何招募他声称有兴趣做出重大贡献的个人。
盖茨说，他可以“回忆起意识到爱泼斯坦曾面临过法律问题”，但补充说，他“不完全了解他犯下的罪行的程度，”根据声明。
他还告诉委员会，他爱泼斯坦了解到“关于我个人生活的敏感信息”，包括他对梅林达·弗伦奇·盖茨的婚姻不忠。
“这些事情与我和爱泼斯坦的互动无关，但对我的家庭来说是痛苦的，”盖茨说，根据声明。“正如公众现在可以看到的，根据文件中公布的内容，爱泼斯坦正在利用有关我不忠的信息——除此之外，他还编造了许多谎言——来迫使我重新与他合作。他的努力没有成功，但这显示了他试图利用与我的互动来推进他的议程的一些方式。”
在周三早上对记者的简短讲话中，盖茨说，“我将在听证室以一份公开声明开始。我希望我的证词对委员会的工作有所帮助，这是为受害者讨回公道的重要工作。”在他露面之后，盖茨在离开国会大厦时没有回答记者的问题。
该委员会的资深民主党众议员罗伯特·加西亚在休息时表示，盖茨在回答委员会的问题时是“合作的”，但指出他有时会“退缩”
加西亚说:“到目前为止，盖茨先生一直很合作，并回答了我们的问题。”
加西亚说，盖茨提到了与爱泼斯坦有牵连的其他人，包括前财政部长拉里·萨默斯。
弗吉尼亚州众议员苏哈斯·萨勃拉曼亚姆说，盖茨“已经多次道歉”。
”他很抱歉自己与爱泼斯坦有如此多的关联...但最终木已成舟，”他说。
卡莫寻求布兰奇的出现
众议院监督委员会主席詹姆斯·卡莫(R-Ky。)第一次联系盖茨是在3月份，安排了一次闭门采访，在一封信中写道，这位技术亿万富翁可能“拥有有助于调查的信息”最近几周，该委员会对前司法部长帕姆·邦迪、商务部长霍华德·鲁特尼克和爱泼斯坦的长期执行秘书莱斯利·格罗夫进行了类似的采访。
卡莫周三早上告诉记者，他还希望代理司法部长兼唐纳德·特朗普总统提名的司法部长托德·布兰奇(Todd Blanche)在委员会面前回答问题。
“我正在与司法部沟通。卡莫说:“我希望托德·布兰奇能在7月份来。”他有，你知道，我想我们都知道他有一个重要的确认，但我一直希望布兰奇进来。"
卡莫没有具体说明他是否打算寻求采访记录或与布兰奇的公开听证会。当被问及他希望从布兰奇那里学到什么时，卡莫说:“我认为我们对布兰奇的主要问题是，你知道，有什么文件留在那里。”
加西亚在休息时表示，他希望布兰奇在宣誓的情况下出庭作证，尽管他更喜欢公开听证会。ABC Newsfirst在6月2日发给卡莫的信中报道了加西亚的请求，他在信中寻求对布兰奇和美国联邦调查局导演卡什·帕特尔的“录像、转录采访”。
加西亚周三对记者说:“对我们来说非常重要的是，这是一份宣誓后的证词，它被录像并向美国公众公布。”
迄今为止，该委员会只录制了传唤证人作证的视频，而不是证人自愿出庭的转录采访。
Comer还说，他正在寻求与律师Alan Dershowitz的谈话记录，此前他在Groff周二的谈话记录中咨询了一些Epstein的受害者。当美国广播公司新闻联系德肖维茨时，他说他渴望在陪审团面前作证，并且他“有很多关于这位名誉扫地的金融家的相关信息”。
“我会是最适合他们打电话的人，”德肖维茨说。“我希望它是开放的。我希望这是在宣誓之下。”
Dershowitz声称拥有与委员会已经听到的一些证词相矛盾的信息，认为Epstein的一些受害者是“同谋”。
“这个区域比看起来更灰暗，”德尔肖维茨说。
“非常非常痛苦的时期”
盖茨与已故金融家的关系扰乱了他的非营利组织，并重塑了公众对这位曾经是世界首富的科技亿万富翁的看法。今年早些时候，他与爱泼斯坦的关系面临新一轮的审查，当时司法部公布的爱泼斯坦文件包括两人之间的通信，以及爱泼斯坦起草的暗示盖茨婚外情的神秘笔记。
据《华尔街日报》报道，盖茨在2月份的一次市政厅会议上向他的非营利组织的工作人员道歉，并承认他与两名俄罗斯女子有染，爱泼斯坦后来发现了这一点。盖茨的发言人在2023年的一份声明中说，爱泼斯坦“试图利用过去的关系威胁盖茨先生，但没有成功。”
“在市政厅，比尔坦率地发言，详细地回答了几个问题，并为自己的行为负责，”盖茨基金会的一位发言人告诉ABC新闻。
梅林达·弗伦奇·盖茨曾表示，她与比尔·盖茨2021年离婚的部分原因是他与爱泼斯坦的关系。今年早些时候，梅林达·弗伦奇·盖茨表示，这些文件带回了他们婚姻中“一些非常非常痛苦的时光”的记忆。
“不管还有什么问题...这些问题是给那些人的，甚至是给我的前夫的，”她在NPR的外卡播客上说，她称之为对爱泼斯坦文件的社会“清算”。“他们需要对那些事情负责，而不是我。”
监督委员会的成员表示希望了解爱泼斯坦是否利用他的性交易网络引诱富有和有影响力的男子进行勒索——DOJ和美国联邦调查局表示，他们没有找到去年的“可信证据”。
盖茨承认与俄罗斯桥牌手和核物理学家有染的两个女人据说都不是由爱泼斯坦介绍给盖茨的，尽管一位发言人后来说，爱泼斯坦试图“利用”他对过去一段关系的了解来“威胁”盖茨。
采访还可能涉及到爱泼斯坦是如何在承认引诱未成年人卖淫的指控仅三年后讨好盖茨的。盖茨此前曾表示，他知道“18个月的事情”限制了爱泼斯坦的旅行，他后悔没有进一步调查爱泼斯坦的背景。
根据司法部今年早些时候公布的文件，盖茨在2011年第一次见到爱泼斯坦。
盖茨在2010年写给前科学顾问鲍里斯·尼科利茨的一封电子邮件中写道:“我没有时间参加另一个会议，也不能和杰夫·爱泼斯坦共进晚餐。”。"我很期待这顿晚餐。"
盖茨后来说，他希望能够利用爱泼斯坦与“非常富有的人”的关系来支持他的全球健康慈善努力。
“焦点总是:他认识很多非常富有的人，他说他可以让他们给全球健康捐款。回想起来，那是一个死胡同，”盖茨在二月份告诉澳大利亚9News。
没有基金被创造出来
根据DOJ公布的文件，两人继续沟通了至少三年，爱泼斯坦一度敦促盖茨使用一种称为“捐赠人建议基金”的特定慈善工具进行慈善捐款。当时，爱泼斯坦将捐赠基金比作“捐赠世界的云计算”
“这是一个很好的类比，”盖茨在2014年2月的一封电子邮件中写道。“现在对我来说比以前更清楚了，这可能是一件伟大的事情。”
但到2014年12月，盖茨似乎对爱泼斯坦的提议冷淡了，他在一封电子邮件中表示，该计划对他来说不可行。
“就DAF而言，我不认为我们有任何人会很快采取行动，”盖茨写道。“这是一个好主意，但它不会很快与4-6个合作伙伴走到一起。”
在今年早些时候的一份声明中，盖茨基金会表示，它没有推进爱泼斯坦的基金，也从未向这位名誉扫地的金融家转移任何资金。
“爱泼斯坦声称他可以为全球健康和发展动员大量慈善资源，在此基础上，少数基金会雇员与爱泼斯坦互动，试图获得这笔潜在资金。盖茨基金会的一位发言人在2月份表示:“最终，基金会没有与爱泼斯坦进行任何合作，也没有设立任何基金。”。
今年3月，盖茨基金会委托外部机构对其过去与爱泼斯坦的合作以及审查慈善合作关系的政策进行了评估。基金会官员在一份声明中表示，他们希望在今年夏天晚些时候获得有关该审查的更新。
Bill Gates tells Oversight panel that meeting with Epstein was a 'grave error in judgment'
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates on Wednesday told the House Oversight Committee probing the government's investigation ofJeffrey Epsteinthat Gates "never victimized anyone" and that meeting with Epstein "was a grave error in judgment," according to his prepared opening remarks.
Gates, appearing in a closed-door setting, faced questions about his relationship with the late financier, marking one of the most high-profile interviews conducted by the Oversight Committee since it began probing the government's handling of its investigations into the notorious sex offender.
Gates told lawmakers that when he first began to engage with Epstein, and throughout the time he spent with him, he was aware that Epstein had a criminal conviction that was sexual in nature, but insisted he did not know the details of Epstein's crimes, according to multiple sources familiar with the interview.
Gates told lawmakers that he was not friends with Epstein and that they didn't socialize beyond dinners where Epstein suggested that he could help Gates raise money for philanthropic endeavors. Gates said that no young women were present at the dinners, sources said.
Included among the millions of documentsreleased by the Justice Departmentthis year in response to the Epstein Transparency Act are draft emails where Epstein claimed Gates had extramarital affairs resulting in a sexually transmitted infection -- a claim Gates has denied.
Gates acknowledged having two extramarital affairs that Epstein later learned about. He said that he met those women separately from Epstein and that Epstein never offered women to him, according to sources.
Gates said that he doesn't know for sure when Epstein first learned about his extramarital affairs, but he believes his former science advisor Boris Nikolic informed Epstein about them, sources said.
'I have never victimized anyone'
"I never witnessed nor had any indication that Epstein was engaged in ongoing criminal conduct. I never went to his island, his ranch, or his Florida home. I have never victimized anyone," Gates testified in his closed-door appearance, according to a copy of his prepared opening statement.
Gates said that Epstein sought to "foster a personal relationship" with him, but said his focus remained on using Epstein to recruit new donors for Gates' global health initiative.
"My interactions with Epstein began with a limited number of preliminary meetings -- three in 2011 and two in 2012 -- during which I talked about the goals of my work," Gates said, according to his statement. "We began more extensive conversations in 2013 and 2014. The discussions focused on identifying potential giving structures, such as donor-advised funds, and how to enroll individuals he claimed were interested in making significant contributions."
Gates said he can "recall being aware that Epstein had faced prior legal issues" but added he "did not fully understand the extent of the crimes he committed," per the statement.
He also told the committee that he Epstein learned "sensitive information about my personal life" -- including that he had been unfaithful in his marriage to Melinda French Gates.
"These affairs had nothing to do with my interactions with Epstein, but they were painful for my family," Gates said, according to the statement. "As the public can now see, based on what has been released in the files, Epstein was working to use information about my infidelities -- in addition to many lies that he layered on top -- to pressure me to re-engage with him. He was unsuccessful in this effort, but it shows some of the ways he tried to leverage his interactions with me to further his agenda."
In brief remarks to reporters on his way in Wednesday morning, Gates said, "I'll start with an opening statement in the hearing room. I hope my testimony is helpful to the work, important work of the committee to find justice for the victims." Following his appearance, Gates did not answer questions from reporters as he left the Capitol.
Rep. Robert Garcia, the committee's ranking Democrat, said during a break that Gates was being "cooperative" in answering the committee's questions, but noted at times he was "pushing back."
"So far, Mr. Gates has been cooperative and answering our questions," Garcia said.
Garcia said Gates referenced other individuals who were involved with Epstein, including former Treasury SecretaryLarry Summers.
Rep. Suhas Subramanyam of Virginia said "there has been a lot of apologies" from Gates.
"He is sorry he associated with Epstein so much ... but in the end what is done is done," he said.
Comer seeks Blanche appearance
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) first reached out to Gates in March to schedule the behind-closed-doors interview, writing in a letter that the tech billionaire might "have information that will assist in its investigation." In recent weeks, the Committee has conducted similar transcribed interviews with former Attorney GeneralPam Bondi, Commerce SecretaryHoward Lutnick, and Epstein's longtime executive secretaryLesley Groff.
Comer told reporters Wednesday morning that he also wants Todd Blanche, the acting attorney general and President Donald Trump's nominee for attorney general, to answer questions before the panel.
"I'm communicating with the Department of Justice. I would like for Todd Blanche to come in in July, Comer said. "He's got, you know, I think we all know he has a big confirmation coming up, but I've always wanted Blanche to come in."
Comer would not specify whether he intends to seek a transcribed interview or a public hearing with Blanche. Asked what he hopes to learn from Blanche, Comer said, "I think that the main thing that we have for Blanche is the question on, you know, what, if any, documents are left out there."
Garcia said during a break that he would like Blanche to sit for a videotaped deposition under oath, although he'd prefer a public hearing. ABC Newsfirst reportedon Garcia's request in a June 2 letter he sent to Comer in which he sought "video-taped, transcribed interviews" with Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel.
"It's very important to us that that is a deposition that is under oath and it's videotaped and released to the American public," Garcia told reporters Wednesday.
To date, the committee has only recorded video of the depositions it's held with witnesses under subpoena, as opposed to the transcribed interviews where witnesses have appeared voluntarily.
Comer also said that he is seeking a transcribed interview with attorney Alan Dershowitz after consulting with some of Epstein's victims in the wake of Groff's transcribed interview on Tuesday. Dershowitz, when contacted by ABC News, said he is eager to testify before the panel and that he "has a lot of relevant information" about the disgraced financier.
"I would be the most relevant person for them to call," Dershowitz said. "I want it to be open. I want it to be under oath."
Dershowitz claimed to have information that would contradict some of the testimony the committee has already heard, arguing that some of Epstein's victims were "complicit."
"The area is much grayer than it looks," Dershowitz said.
'Very, very painful times'
Gates' association with the late financier has roiled his nonprofit and reshaped the public perception of the tech billionaire who was once the world's richest man.HIs relationship with Epstein faced a new wave of scrutiny earlier this year when the Department of Justice'srelease of Epstein filesincluded correspondence between the two men, as well as cryptic notes drafted by Epstein that hinted at Gates' extramarital affairs.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Gates apologized to the staff of his nonprofit during a town hall in February and acknowledged that he had affairs with two Russian women that Epstein later discovered. A spokesperson for Gates in a 2023 statement said that Epstein "tried unsuccessfully to leverage a past relationship to threaten Mr. Gates."
"In the town hall, Bill spoke candidly, addressing several questions in detail, and took responsibility for his actions," a spokesperson for the Gates Foundation told ABC News.
Melinda French Gates -- who previously said her 2021 divorce from Bill Gates was driven in part by his association with Epstein -- said earlier this year that the documents brought back memories of "some very, very painful times" in their marriage.
"Whatever questions remain there ... those questions are for those people, and for even my ex-husband," she said on NPR's Wild Card podcast about what she described as a societal "reckoning" over the Epstein files. "They need to answer to those things, not me."
Members of the Oversight Committee have expressed a desire to learn whether Epstein used his sex trafficking network to lure in wealthy and influential men to blackmail -- allegations that the DOJ and FBI said they found "no credible evidence" of last year.
Neither of the women who Gates acknowledged having affairs with -- a Russian bridge player and nuclear physicist -- were said to have been introduced to Gates by Epstein, though a spokesperson later said that Epstein sought to "leverage" his knowledge of one of his past relationships to "threaten" Gates.
The interview is also likely to touch on how Epstein was able to ingratiate himself with Gates just three years after pleading guilty to charges of soliciting a minor for prostitution. Gates has previously said he was aware of an "18-month thing" that limited Epstein's travel, and he regrets not further investigating Epstein's background.
According to documents released earlier this year by the Department of Justice, Gates first met Epstein in 2011.
"I won't have time to do another meeting and I won't be able to do the dinner with Jeff Epstein," Gates wrote in a 2010 email to Boris Nikolic, his former science advisor. "I was looking forward to the dinner."
Gates later said he hoped he could leverage Epstein's relationships with "very rich people" to support his global health philanthropic efforts.
"The focus was always: he knew a lot of very rich people, and he was saying he could get them to give money to global health. In retrospect, that was a dead end," Gates told 9News Australia in February.
'No fund was ever created'
According to documents released by the DOJ, both men continued to communicate for at least three years, with Epstein at one point urging Gates to use a specific philanthropic vehicle known as a "donor advised fund" to make charitable contributions. At the time, Epstein compared donor advised funds to "cloud computing for the giving world."
"It is a good analogy," Gates wrote in a February 2014 email. "It is clearer to me now than before and it could be a great thing."
But by December 2014, Gates appeared to cool on Epstein's proposal, suggesting in an email that the plan was not viable for him.
"In terms of the DAF I don't think we have any people at this point who will move to do something soon," Gates wrote. "It is a good idea, but it won't come together with 4-6 partners anytime soon."
In a statement earlier this year, the Gates Foundation said it did not move forward with Epstein's fund and never transferred any funds to the disgraced financier.
"On the basis of Epstein's claims that he could mobilize significant philanthropic resources for global health and development, a small number of foundation employees interacted with Epstein to try to secure this potential funding. Ultimately, the foundation did not pursue any collaboration with Epstein and no fund was ever created," a spokesperson for the Gates Foundation said in February.
By March, the Gates Foundation commissioned an external review to assess its past engagement with Epstein as well as its policies for vetting philanthropic partnerships. Foundation officials said in a statement they expected to get an update about that review later this summer.
