Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is scheduled to appear before a House committee for questioning this week, focusing on his controversial association with the notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The billionaire is among the high-profile figures being rigorously questioned by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee as part of its investigation into Epstein's network.
Gates is set to testify one day after the committee concluded its questioning of Epstein's former longtime executive assistant, Lesley Groff.
The committee's chairman, Republican Representative James Comer of Kentucky, told media on Tuesday that the questioning of Gates would be wide-ranging, with no topic off-limits.
"I can't say he's eager to testify, according to his lawyers, but he is cooperating and not fighting the subpoena, and I appreciate that," Comer stated.
Reports indicate Gates first met Epstein in 2011.
This was three years after Epstein had pleaded guilty in a Florida state court to charges of soliciting a minor for prostitution, for which he served 13 months in prison.
Epstein died by suicide in jail in August 2019, weeks after his arrest on federal child sex trafficking charges.
Gates's connection to Epstein drew renewed public scrutiny in late 2025 when U.S. authorities and Congress released documents related to Epstein and his associates.
No allegations have been made linking Gates to Epstein's criminal activities.
A spokesperson for the Gates Foundation, the charity founded by Gates and his ex-wife Melinda Gates, was contacted for comment on the testimony.
It was reported on Tuesday that Gates has retained Jack Greenburg to assist in preparing his testimony. Greenburg served as chief investigative counsel for the House Oversight Committee until December of last year.
In a statement issued in March, a spokesperson for Gates said, "Mr. Gates intends to appear before the committee."
The spokesperson added, "He has never seen or participated in any illegal activity by Epstein and looks forward to answering the committee's questions as part of this important investigation."
In February of this year, during a staff meeting at his foundation, Gates apologized to employees for his association with Epstein. He also acknowledged having had extramarital affairs with two Russian women, which Epstein was aware of.
According to reports from the meeting, Gates said, "I did nothing illegal. I never saw anything illegal."
He was also quoted as saying, "Spending time with Epstein, bringing foundation people to meet him, was a huge mistake on my part."
"I'm sorry to everyone who got drawn into this because of my mistakes," Gates reportedly stated.
The Gates Foundation has previously announced it has commissioned a third-party review of all past connections between the foundation and Epstein. The foundation stated it expects a full progress report from this external review to be delivered to its board and leadership this summer.
Gates's longtime friend, Berkshire Hathaway Chairman Warren Buffett, said in a late March interview that he had not spoken to Gates since documents related to Epstein were made public.
"I don't want to know something that I'm going to be subpoenaed on later. There's just no upside to talking about it until it's all over," Buffett remarked.
He characterized Epstein as a con man who exploited people's vulnerabilities.
"Men like pretty girls, some men like to avoid taxes, and he was an expert at figuring out what people's weaknesses were," Buffett said.
Since 2006, Buffett has donated over $43 billion to the Gates Foundation.
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