Bill Gates was brought to Capitol Hill to discuss a matter that occurred during his marriage to his ex-wife, Melania Gates.

The Microsoft co-founder and Melinda got married in 1994 and divorced in 2021 after a bombshell accusation.

The former couple shares three adult children — Jennifer, Rory, and Phoebe. They were each raised with strict limits on inheritance and tight rules around technology and interactions with friends at home.

It’s clear Gates did not always hold himself to the same standards.

Bill Gates admitted to affairs during his marriage to Melinda and again apologized for his ties to Jeffrey Epstein, sparking renewed public scrutiny. (Photo by Frederic Stevens/Getty Images)

During a February town hall meeting with Gates Foundation staff, Gates admitted to having affairs with two Russian women, according to emails released by the Justice Department.

Those admissions forced Gates to revisit the behavior that helped destroy his marriage and revived scrutiny over his ties with Jeffrey Epstein — a friendship Melinda reportedly warned him about years before their split.

‘There’s More That Hasn’t Come’: Melinda Gates Thought Epstein Questions Were Behind Her, But Bill Gates’ New Confessions Signal They’re Far from Over

‘Different Level of Betrayal’: Melinda Gates Explodes, Thought Intimate Moment with Ex Bill Was Private — Until a Leaked Photo Changed Everything

In 2007, Epstein secured a plea deal that shielded him and several associates from federal prosecution. He served just three months of an 18-month sentence, and his case never reached a jury. Federal prosecutors indicted him again in 2019, but he died in jail while awaiting trial.

Gates alleged the two met in 2011 at Epstein’s townhouse on the Upper East Side in New York.

The billionaire appeared for a Wednesday hearing to voluntarily testify in a closed-door interview with the House Oversight Committee.

Aside from admitting to cheating on his wife, he denied ever witnessing or participating in any illegal activity with Epstein.

In a prepared statement, he recalled having “limited” interactions with Epstein, including discussions of his work, with three meetings taking place in 2011 and two in 2012.

By the end of 2014, Gates said he realized Epstein would not follow through and ended all contact.

Around that time, Gates testified, a departing employee brought Epstein into the employee’s separation talks, which Gates said he never approved. He later accused Epstein of using knowledge of his affair to blackmail him.

“These affairs had nothing to do with my interactions with Epstein, but they were painful for my family,” Gates noted.

“As the public can now see, based on what has been released in the files, Epstein was working to use information about my infidelities—in addition to many lies that he layered on top—to pressure me to re-engage with him.”

The tech genius said it was “unsuccessful in this effort,” but believes it proves that Epstein tried “to further his agenda.”

“I should never have met with Epstein in the first place,” Gates confessed, calling it a “grave error in judgment.”

He later added, “If the time I spent with Epstein lent him any credibility, I am deeply sorry. I have learned a significant lesson and am now far more careful about who I engage with even in a limited capacity.”

The duo grew closer through chats about philanthropy, but no donations were secured, and no charitable structure was ever created.

Still critics online were not as convinced that his remarks distance him from Epstein. One person said, “This man is just absolutely cringe. Legacy destroyed.”

Others wondered why Gates even hung with Epstein after the charges, writing, “Some questions never really go away. This is clearly one of them.”

Another wondered, “Interesting he posted the statement online himself. Wonder if that was to preempt any leaks?”

Two others wrote, “Behind closed doors! Wonder why? The Epstein crowd sure has an enormous amount of protection” and “So now we basically have proof that he was blackmailing influential people.”

“Don’t believe a word he says. He should be making penance and paying for his crimes rather than offering denials and excuses.”

Bill has since moved on from his ties to Epstein. For two years, he’s been in a relationship with his former employee, a philanthropist named Paige Hurd.

Hurd is also the widow of former Oracle CEO Mark Hurd, who died in 2019 as a result of an undisclosed illness.

Melinda has also moved on after years of predicting fallout, as Bill ignored her warnings about Epstein.

“I never went to his island, his ranch, or his Florida home. I have never victimized anyone,” Gates insists. “

President Donald Trump also been named in the Epstein files, but he has yet to face his day in court over any allegations.

‘Behind Closed Doors? Wonder Why?’: Bill Gates Drops Bombshell Ahead of Hearing as Disturbing Blackmail Claims Involving Melinda Gates Spill Out