The Microsoft co-founder has been under heavy scrutiny for his interactions with the late sex offender

Bill Gates will testify before a US congressional committee about his interactions with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to media reports.

The Microsoft co-founder is set to sit for a transcribed interview on June 10, multiple outlets said on Wednesday, citing anonymous sources. It follows a March 3 request from lawmakers seeking details about his ties to Epstein.

Gates is the latest high-profile figure to agree to testify before the House Oversight Committee as part of the probe into the disgraced financier, who died in a New York jail cell in August 2019.

The inquiry has already included testimony from former US President Bill Clinton and his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

A spokesperson for Gates said that the billionaire "welcomes" the opportunity to appear before the committee, according to The Independent.

"While he never witnessed or participated in any of Epstein's illegal conduct, he is looking forward to answering all the committee's questions to support their important work," the spokesperson also said in a statement.

Last November, US President Donald Trump signed a law requiring the Justice Department to release files from its Epstein investigations. More than 3 million documents have since been made public in total, including those describing details of Gates' communications and relationship with the late financier.

Some of the declassified documents alleged that Gates had extramarital "sex with Russian girls" arranged via Epstein's trafficking network and sought medication to treat a sexually transmitted infection afterward, though the billionaire has not been accused of misconduct by any of Epstein's victims.

Other documents suggest Gates may have leveraged Epstein's network for health-related influence, with DOJ files citing meetings in which healthcare issues were discussed.

Earlier this year in an interview with 9 News Australia, Gates apologized for his ties to Epstein, calling it "foolish" to have spent time with him and saying their interactions were limited to dinners and did not include visits to Epstein's island.

He claimed the meetings were focused on fundraising for global health initiatives linked to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

(RT.com)