Bill Gates is set to appear privately before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee as part of an inquiry into how the Justice Department handled matters related to Jeffrey Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell. The session, scheduled for Wednesday, will be a transcribed, in-person interview conducted by the committee as it examines whether the federal authorities mismanaged aspects of the Epstein prosecutions and related issues.
The Republican chairman of the panel, U.S. Representative James Comer, formally requested Gates' cooperation in March, asking that he come for an in-person transcribed interview. In advance of the meeting, Gates engaged Jake Greenberg to assist in preparing for his testimony. Greenberg previously served as the oversight panel's chief investigative official until December. A spokesperson for the committee has said the panel has not worked with Greenberg since his departure.
Documents the Justice Department released earlier this year include material showing Gates and Epstein met repeatedly after Epstein served a 2008 Florida state sentence. Those materials indicate the meetings focused on discussions about expanding Gates' philanthropic initiatives. The released files also contain photographs that show Gates posing with females whose faces have been redacted.
Epstein's criminal history and subsequent federal case remain central to the inquiry. Epstein pleaded guilty to a Florida state felony prostitution charge in 2008 and served 13 months in jail. In 2019, federal prosecutors charged him with sex trafficking of minors. He pleaded not guilty to the federal charges and died later that year in what was ruled a suicide before his trial could proceed.
Gates has said the relationship with Epstein was limited to discussions tied to philanthropy and has acknowledged meeting with Epstein was a mistake. A spokesperson for the Gates Foundation said Gates "took responsibility for his actions" during a February town hall meeting with foundation employees. The Gates Foundation has said it initiated an external review into its engagements with the late financier.
The scope of the House committee's probe is broad. It covers the handling of investigations and prosecutions, the terms and execution of plea agreements, Epstein's death, perceived failures to combat sex trafficking, ethics concerns and delays in the public release of government files. The Justice Department's publication of millions of internal documents related to Epstein has highlighted his links to numerous prominent figures across politics, finance, academia and business.
Among the individuals identified within the released records is President Donald Trump, who socialized with Epstein frequently in the 1990s and 2000s, according to the materials. The inquiry has also brought into focus prior actions by then-Attorney General Pam Bondi, who was fired by Trump in April and has faced criticism for her handling of aspects of the case, including accusations from critics that she attempted to shield the president from scrutiny.
There was disagreement over the timing of the documents' release. The president opposed releasing the files until shortly before Congress enacted a law that ordered their disclosure by an overwhelming vote.
Context and implications
The private testimony from Gates joins a broader congressional effort to trace decision-making and accountability across law enforcement, prosecutorial offices and affiliated institutions. The committee is examining not only individual interactions with Epstein but also systemic questions about prosecutorial discretion, transparency and how information about individuals connected to Epstein was gathered, reviewed and shared.
For organizations tied to philanthropy, the inquiry raises governance and reputational questions. The Gates Foundation has already initiated an external review focused on its prior engagement with Epstein, and the committee’s work is likely to keep oversight and transparency topics under public and regulatory scrutiny.
This investigation remains ongoing. Lawmakers are continuing to review thousands of internal Justice Department documents and related records to determine whether federal action - or inaction - in the Epstein matter warrants further legislative or oversight responses.