Three questions Bill Gates could face as he testifies to Congress on Epstein

Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft and one of the world's most prominent philanthropists, is being questioned by a congressional committee about his past association with the late convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein.

Gates, who has appeared voluntarily in Washington, said he welcomed the opportunity to answer questions about his relationship with the disgraced financier before the House Oversight Committee.

"I hope my testimony is helpful to the work - important work - of the committee to find justice for the victims," Gates told reporters as he walked into a hearing room, while avoiding further questions.

Epstein killed himself in a jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial. His long-time friend and associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, is serving a 20-year prison term for her part in his crimes.

Gates's connection to Epstein came to wider public attention after the US Department of Justice (DOJ) recently published more than three million pages of documents linked to the criminal investigation of Epstein. Gates's name appeared thousands of times.

He has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and rejected the idea that he knew anything about Epstein's illegal activity. But in a TV interview earlier this year, he did acknowledge he exercised poor judgement in meeting Epstein.

"I was foolish to spend time with him. I was one of many people who regret ever knowing him," he said.

Among the material released by the DOJ was a photograph that appears to show Gates near an aircraft with Epstein's pilot present. Gates has said he travelled with Epstein on a private jet - one of those facts that have haunted many who have been tarnished by Epstein.

Other images show Gates posing with his arm around Epstein and a number of unidentified women.

Documents also include draft emails attributed to Epstein, containing a series of unverified and disputed claims about Gates's personal life. These include allegations that Epstein facilitated "illicit trysts" with "married women" for Gates, that the Microsoft co-founder had contracted a sexually-transmitted infection (STI) from what Epstein called "Russian girls", and that he had "helped Bill get drugs" to treat it.

A separate email alleged that Gates sought to "surreptitiously" give his then-wife Melinda antibiotics to protect her from the same infection. Gates strongly denies these claims but has admitted having had affairs with two Russian women.

So, what are three big questions Epstein could be asked by the congressional committee?

Gates's core explanation for his association with Epstein has been that the relationshi