Bill Gates will testify in the Epstein probe; Pam Bondi testimony postponed

Law

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Ava Berger

Bill Gates speaks during an event in New York City in September 2024. He is scheduled to testify before a House committee investigating Jeffrey Epstein. Roy Rochlin/Getty Images hide caption

Bill Gates is scheduled to testify before the House Oversight Committee in June, adding to the list of prominent figures called before the committee in its investigation of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

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Gates, who has denied having any knowledge of Epstein's crimes, will sit for a closed-door transcribed interview on June 10, according to a source familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to share the details publicly. Gates' scheduled appearance was first reported by MSNOW.

Former Attorney General Pam Bondi was subpoenaed by the committee in March to discuss her role in overseeing the release of the Epstein files, but will not appear for her scheduled deposition on April 14.

In a letter to Kentucky Republican Rep. James Comer, the committee chair, Assistant Attorney General Patrick Davis said that "because Ms. Bondi no longer can testify in her official capacity as Attorney General, the Department's position is that the subpoena no longer obligates her to appear on April 14."

The House Oversight Committee said in a statement that the committee "will contact Pam Bondi's personal counsel to discuss next steps regarding scheduling her deposition."

California Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the committee, said in a statement that Bondi "must come in to testify immediately, and if she defies the subpoena, we will begin contempt charges in the Congress. The survivors deserve justice."

Former Attorney General Pam Bondi testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee during her confirmation hearing on Jan. 15, in Washington, D.C. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images hide caption

Gates appears in Epstein files thousands of times

Gates is one of many influential people named in the Department of Justice documents about the disgraced financier. Appearing in the files is not necessarily an indication of criminal wrongdoing.

A spokesperson for Gates said in an emailed statement to NPR that Gates "welcomes the opportunity to appear before the Committee."

"While he never witnessed or participated in any of Epstein's illegal conduct, he is looking forward to answering all the committee's questions to support their important work," the statement said.

Gates appears thousands of times in the Epstein files, allegedly meeting with Epstein multiple times after the financier's conviction in 2008 of sex crimes that involved minors, and at one point traveling on Epstein's private plane.

Epstein was arrested a second time in July 2019 on sex-trafficking charges. He died in prison about a month later.

Gates has also drawn scrutiny for emails mentioning his now ex-wife, Melinda French Gates. In one instance, Epstein claims that he helped Gates get medication to treat an STI from "sex with Russian girls." Epstein also said that Gates had wanted to try to give that STI medication to French Gates in secret.

French Gates told NPR in February that the latest flood of documents filled her with "unbelievable sadness" and reminded her of the struggles she faced in her marriage.

"Whatever questions remain there of what — I can't even begin to know all of it — those questions are for those people and for even my ex-husband," French Gates said. "They need to answer to those things, not me."

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According to the source familiar with the matter but not authorized to share details publicly, others who are scheduled to appear before the committee include Ted Waitt, the co-founder of Gateway who allegedly had a romantic relationship with Epstein co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell, on April 30; Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who the Republican-led committee previously announced would voluntarily testify, on May 6; and Tova Noel, one of the officers at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan assigned to guard Epstein the night he died, on May 18.

Waitt's foundation did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Comer, the committee chairman, said in a March statement that Lutnick "proactively agreed to appear voluntarily" and he "commend[s] his demonstrated commitment to transparency." Noel also did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Who has already testified?

Eight other prominent figures have already testified before the committee: former Attorney General Bill Barr, former Labor Secretary Alex Acosta, Maxwell, Les Wexner, former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Richard Kahn and Darren Indyke.

Here are a few of the notable people who have testified so far.

Ghislaine Maxwell

Maxwell was convicted on sex-trafficking charges in 2021 and is serving a 20-year sentence. She was transferred to a minimum-security federal prison for women in Texas after an interview with then-Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche in July 2025.

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During her deposition before the committee in February, Maxwell refused to testify, invoking her Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination.

Her lawyer told the committee that Maxwell would provide "the unfiltered truth about what happened" if the committee granted her immunity or President Trump granted her clemency.

Bill and Hillary Clinton

Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton were deposed separately in February after unsuccessfully fighting a subpoena from the committee.

Over hours of closed-door testimony, the Clintons both denied knowledge of Epstein's crimes prior to his guilty plea in 2008 for soliciting prostitution and procuring a minor for prostitution.

"I saw nothing, and I did nothing wrong," the former president said in an opening statement shared with NPR.

Bill Clinton appears multiple times in the documents, including in photos with Epstein.

In her testimony, Hillary Clinton denied having ever met Epstein.

The committee released video of the Clintons' full depositions.

Richard Kahn

Richard Kahn, Epstein's former accountant, testified before the committee in a closed-door deposition in March. Kahn said he was "not aware" of Epstein's crimes and regrets that he may have "unknowingly assisted Epstein in any way," according to a copy of his prepared opening statement obtained by NPR.

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Kahn is mentioned more than 50,000 times in the files. Over more than a decade, Kahn managed Epstein's finances through his company HBRK Associates Inc., advising on numerous transactions, including medical reimbursements for the "girls."

Darren Indyke

Darren Indyke, Epstein's longtime personal attorney, testified before the committee in a closed-door deposition in March that he had "no knowledge whatsoever" of Epstein's crimes against women and girls, according to a copy of his prepared opening statement obtained by NPR.

Indyke is widely considered to have been part of Epstein's inner circle, along with Kahn. In 2017, Indyke was flagged by a bank for taking out "structured cash transactions" from Epstein's account to avoid federal requirements.

Two days before his death, Epstein made Indyke a co-executor of his estate, along with Kahn, the accountant. Both are named as beneficiaries of Epstein's estate.

NPR's Luke Garrett contributed reporting to this story.

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• Pam Bondi
• Jeffrey Epstein
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