Warren Buffett stated Tuesday that he has not spoken to Microsoft founder Invoice Gates “since the entire thing” with the Jeffrey Epstein information “was unveiled.”
“I have not talked to him in any respect since the entire thing was unveiled,” Buffett advised CNBC’s Becky Fast on “Squawk Field.”
“I do not wish to be ready the place I do know issues … to be known as as a witness,” stated the Berkshire Hathaway chairman, who since 2006 has donated greater than $43 billion to the Gates Basis, the philanthropic group based by Gates and his ex-wife, Melinda Gates.
Gates grew to become pals with Epstein in 2011, three years after Epstein pleaded responsible in Florida state courtroom to soliciting an underage woman for prostitution. Emails and pictures detailing Gates and Epstein’s friendships have been revealed in paperwork launched by the Division of Justice and Congress since late 2025.
Gates, in February, apologized to workers on the Gates Basis for his affiliation with Epstein and admitted having affairs with two Russian ladies, which Epstein discovered of, The Wall Road Journal beforehand reported. Gates on the similar occasion stated, “I did nothing illicit. I noticed nothing illicit,” the newspaper reported.
Requested Tuesday if he was nonetheless good pals with Gates, Buffett spoke fondly of their private relationship, which included establishing, with Invoice and Melinda Gates, The Giving Pledge, an effort geared toward garnering commitments by the world’s richest individuals to commit a lot of their wealth to philanthropy.
However, Buffett added, referring to the scandal surrounding Epstein and Gates, “I believe till it will get cleared up, it does not make sense to do a whole lot of speaking.”
“I do not wish to be underneath oath,” Buffett stated, in what have been his first public feedback about Gates because the Epstein information have been launched.
Buffett talked at size in regards to the infamous intercourse offender Epstein, whose friendship with Gates and different high-profile individuals had led to damaging fallout for them as the main points of their relationships have emerged with the discharge of the so-called Epstein information in latest months.
“It’s astounding to me that anybody could possibly be that profitable as a con man,” Buffett stated.
“Males are going to love intercourse … and a few of them are going to love not paying taxes, and he found out their weaknesses,” Buffett stated.
“That man will need to have been the con man of all time,” Buffett stated. “He had a means of conning everyone.”
He stated that Gates might have invited him to New York to fulfill Epstein however thankfully didn’t.
“I received him to thank for not doing that,” Buffett stated.
“However you possibly can’t get away from what occurred both,” he stated.
Gates, in early March, accepted an invite from the Home Oversight Committee to testify about his dealings with Epstein. That look has but to be scheduled.
A spokesperson for Gates stated in a press release that he “welcomes the chance to look earlier than the Committee.”
“Whereas he by no means witnessed or participated in any of Epstein’s unlawful conduct, he’s trying ahead to answering all of the committee’s inquiries to help their vital work,” the spokesperson stated.
