Billionaire Bill Gates has claimed that the late pedophile and financier Jeffrey Epstein tried to blackmail him over affairs he had with Russian women, according to newly released congressional testimony.

The Microsoft co-founder appeared before the US House Oversight Committee on June 10 as part of an investigation into the convicted sex offender’s activities and ties to influential figures. A transcript of the closed-door interview was released on Tuesday amid scrutiny that Gates has faced since disclosures from the so-called Epstein files were released by the US Justice Department this past year.

The files include allegations concerning Gates’s extramarital relationships, requests for drugs, a purported sexually transmitted infection, and “sex with Russian girls.” They also detail his discussions with Epstein on global health initiatives, polio eradication, health data systems, and a proposed pandemic simulation years before the Covid-19 outbreak.

In his testimony, Gates acknowledged that, despite knowing of Epstein’s sex-related criminal conviction, he established contact with him in 2011 in hopes of getting access to wealthy donors for his global health projects. However, Gates said he cut ties with the financier in 2014 when Epstein failed to deliver.

According to the billionaire, Epstein then obtained “sensitive information” about his personal life and tried to use it to blackmail him and pull him back into his orbit.

“Epstein was working to use information about my infidelities, in addition to many lies that he layered on top, to pressure me to reengage with him,” Gates told lawmakers. “He was unsuccessful in this effort.”

Gates admitted to having affairs with two adult Russian women, but stressed they had no connection to Epstein’s criminal network. He has also vehemently denied the STD and drug allegations, insisting that Epstein never introduced him to women for sex, arranged massages for him, or involved him in criminal conduct. He also said he never visited Epstein’s island, ranch, or Florida home.

Gates’ ties to Epstein have long raised questions, as the latter lacked any known public health expertise, despite taking part in discussions on global health projects and data systems. The Microsoft co-founder claims the meetings were aimed solely at securing funding for the Gates Foundation but resulted in no charitable contributions.

Gates has repeatedly apologized for his association with Epstein, saying he should never have met with him in the first place.

The broader Epstein files scandal has revived questions about how the convicted sex offender managed to maintain access to billionaires, politicians, bankers, and royals after his 2008 conviction.

Other prominent figures who have already testified in the investigation include former President Bill Clinton, ex-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, and billionaire Les Wexner.