Bill Gates told U.S. lawmakers he believed Jeffrey Epstein might have been considering blackmailing him, according to transcripts released Tuesday by the House Oversight Committee.

In closed-door testimony June 10, Gates disputed details that Epstein recorded in emails to himself regarding the Microsoft?co-founder¡¯s extramarital affairs. He said Epstein, a disgraced financier and sex offender who died in a New York jail in 2019, was potentially trying to use that information, including ¡°literally dozens of false things,¡± for leverage.

¡°I was not blackmailed,¡± Gates told the committee, but ¡°as you look at these emails, you know, it looks like Mr. Epstein¡¯s brainstorming was going in that direction.¡±

Gates said he addressed that possibility with Epstein directly, especially as he tried to break off communication with him. Gates acknowledged the affairs, but he said he wasn¡¯t connected to the women through Epstein. Gates has repeatedly said he had no direct knowledge of Epstein¡¯s crimes with underage victims.

¡°There was the veiled type of language, hey, we should all want to be friends,¡± Gates said. ¡°I took that on very explicitly and said, look, if you think you¡¯re going to get more money out of this, it¡¯s not going to happen, and if that means you go out and talk to people about things, I will just bear the pain of that and deal with it.¡±

Several questions centered on the role that Epstein played in negotiating an exit package for Boris Nikolic, one of Gates¡¯ closest advisers. Gates said Epstein also asked for philanthropic donations in his name, which was something Gates said ¡°I¡¯d been clear I was not going to do.¡±

The inclusion of the Microsoft co-founder ¡ª at the time one of the world¡¯s richest men ¡ª in Epstein¡¯s orbit demonstrates his broad reach in the upper echelons of finance, technology and academia. In addition to Gates, the committee investigating Epstein¡¯s crimes has also sought testimony from Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton, Apollo Global Management co-founder Leon Black, Goldman Sachs Group General Counsel Kathryn Ruemmler.

Gates has publicly admitted to having multiple affairs while he was married to Melinda French Gates, which contributed to their divorce after 27 years of marriage.

¡°These affairs had nothing to do with my interactions with Epstein, but they were painful for my family,¡± Gates said in the statement he prepared for his testimony. ¡°As the public can now see, based on what has been released in the files, Epstein was working to use information about my infidelities ¡ª in addition to many lies that he layered on top ¡ª to pressure me to re-engage with him.¡±

Gates appreciated the opportunity to testify and supports the full release of files related to Epstein, a spokesperson said after the transcript was released. The spokesperson added that Gates answered every question for nearly six hours, and ¡°with the full, unredacted transcript now publicly available, everyone can review the details for themselves.¡±

In his testimony, Gates said he met with Epstein 12 to 14 times, as well as on two Skype calls, over a four year period. Epstein died while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges involving underage girls. Authorities ruled the death a suicide.

Rep.Emily Randall, a Washington State Democrat who sits on the Oversight Committee, said the panel¡¯s objective was to get justice for the survivors. Leaving the hearing room where Gates testified earlier this month, she said that requires questioning those who might have not participated directly in Epstein¡¯s crimes, but in some cases were ¡°willing to turn away¡± from what should have been warning signs.

¡°Mr. Gates has been forthcoming and cooperative in answering questions, but I think some of his answers show us that many of the men who engaged with Jeffrey Epstein only saw what they wanted to see in their interactions,¡± Randall said.