Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates testified before US Congress on Thursday about his close ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. ⁣ ⁣ Telling Congress he did not “fully understand the extent” of the disgraced financier’s crimes, Gates accused Epstein of blackmailing him over his extramarital affairs.⁣ ⁣ "These affairs had nothing to do with my interactions with Epstein, but they were painful for my family," Gates said. ⁣ ⁣ Gates is the latest powerful figure linked to Epstein to testify before the US Congress’s House Oversight Committee, in a closed-door deposition.⁣ ⁣ #BillGates #JeffreyEpstein⁣