Bill Gates denies blackmail claims in Anderson Cooper interview after congressional grilling

In a televised interview, Bill Gates responded to Anderson Cooper’s query about alleged blackmail by Jeffrey Epstein, stating he never received any such threat and that the meetings were a mistake. He referenced the extensive, multi-hundred-page testimony he provided to the House Oversight Committee in June, noting that the committee’s records are publicly available. Gates explained that he had hoped Epstein could connect him with wealthy donors for global-health initiatives, a strategy he now calls a "gigantic mistake."

He dismissed the un-sent 2013 draft emails alleging an STD as false and reiterated that he never visited Epstein’s island, ranch, or Florida home. The interview also touched on Gates’s worries about the AI industry’s opacity regarding safety concerns. He concluded by expressing appreciation for the opportunity to answer the committee’s questions and to set the record straight.