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Warren Buffett says he has cut off contact with Bill Gates over his past links to Jeffrey Epstein and fears he could be called as a witness as investigations continue.
Warren Buffett says he has stopped speaking to Bill Gates as fallout from the Jeffrey Epstein case continues to ripple through elite circles.
The veteran investor also warned he wants to avoid being drawn into the case himself.
According to Fortune, Buffett said he has had no contact with the Microsoft cofounder since new details about Gates’ past interactions with Epstein emerged earlier this year.
“I haven’t talked to him at all since the whole thing was unveiled,” Buffett told CNBC.
He added that distancing himself was partly about avoiding legal entanglement.
“I don’t want to be in the position where I know things,” Buffett said. “I could get called as a witness.”
Ties Under Scrutiny
The comments come after the release of extensive documents related to Epstein, which renewed attention on figures linked to the disgraced financier.
Among the allegations cited by Fortune are claims Gates had contact with Epstein in professional and personal contexts, including reported efforts involving financial negotiations and connections within his network.
Gates has previously acknowledged poor judgment in meeting Epstein.
“In retrospect, I was foolish to spend any time with him,” he told The Wall Street Journal last year.
More recently, he told staff he “did nothing illicit” and had no involvement in Epstein’s crimes.
Long Friendship
Buffett and Gates had been close for decades, with their relationship dating back to 1991.
The two billionaires collaborated on major philanthropic efforts, including the Gates Foundation and the Giving Pledge.
Over time, however, their relationship had already begun to cool. Buffett stepped down from the foundation’s board in 2021 following Gates’ divorce.
He has also indicated that his future donations will not go to the foundation after his death.
Wider Fallout
The Epstein case continues to draw in high-profile figures as investigations expand.
Gates is among several individuals asked to testify before a US congressional committee examining the case, according to Fortune.
Buffett, now 95, said he had never met Epstein and was relieved to have avoided contact.
“It’s astounding to me that anybody could be that successful as a con person,” he said.
Sources: Fortune, CNBC, The Wall Street Journal
