Warren Buffett mentioned Tuesday that he has not spoken to Microsoft founder Bill Gates “since the whole thing” with the Jeffrey Epstein recordsdata “was unveiled.”
“I haven’t talked to him at all since the whole thing was unveiled,” Buffett informed CNBC’s Becky Quick on “Squawk Box.”
“I don’t want to be in a position where I know things … to be called as a witness,” mentioned the Berkshire Hathaway chairman, who since 2006 has donated greater than $43 billion to the Gates Foundation, the philanthropic group based by Gates and his ex-wife, Melinda Gates.
Gates grew to become mates with Epstein in 2011, three years after Epstein pleaded responsible in Florida state court docket to soliciting an underage lady for prostitution. Emails and images detailing Gates and Epstein’s friendships have been revealed in paperwork launched by the Department of Justice and Congress since late 2025.
Gates, in February, apologized to employees on the Gates Foundation for his affiliation with Epstein and admitted having affairs with two Russian girls, which Epstein discovered of, The Wall Street Journal beforehand reported. Gates on the similar occasion mentioned, “I did nothing illicit. I saw nothing illicit,” the newspaper reported.
Asked Tuesday if he was nonetheless good mates with Gates, Buffett spoke fondly of their private relationship, which included establishing, with Bill and Melinda Gates, The Giving Pledge, an effort aimed toward garnering commitments by the world’s richest folks to commit a lot of their wealth to philanthropy.
But, Buffett added, referring to the scandal surrounding Epstein and Gates, “I think until it gets cleared up, it doesn’t make sense to do a lot of talking.”
“I don’t want to be under oath,” Buffett mentioned, in what had been his first public feedback about Gates for the reason that Epstein recordsdata had been launched.
Buffett talked at size in regards to the infamous intercourse offender Epstein, whose friendship with Gates and different high-profile folks had led to damaging fallout for them as the small print of their relationships have emerged with the discharge of the so-called Epstein recordsdata in latest months.
“It is astounding to me that anyone could be that successful as a con man,” Buffett mentioned.
“Men are going to like sex … and some of them are going to like not paying taxes, and he figured out their weaknesses,” Buffett mentioned.
“That guy must have been the con man of all time,” Buffett mentioned. “He had a way of conning everybody.”
He mentioned that Gates might have invited him to New York to meet Epstein however thankfully didn’t.
“I got him to thank for not doing that,” Buffett mentioned.
“But you can’t get away from what happened either,” he mentioned.
Gates, in early March, accepted an invitation from the House Oversight Committee to testify about his dealings with Epstein. That look has but to be scheduled.
A spokesperson for Gates mentioned in an announcement that he “welcomes the opportunity to appear before the Committee.”
“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 mentioned.
