News that Bill Gates appeared before Congress on June 10 has stirred up American media.

This appearance reflects the public's ongoing interest in the Jeffrey Epstein case, which continues to shake American society.

On this day, Gates voluntarily attended a closed hearing of the House Oversight Committee.

Before his appearance, he made a brief statement to reporters, expressing hope that it would help uncover the truth for the victims.

The focus of this hearing is the relationship between Gates and Epstein. Gates explained that he met Epstein in 2011, believing at the time that Epstein could connect him with funding for global health projects. However, over time, he concluded that Epstein would not provide the promised support and claimed to have severed ties after 2014.

The most shocking part is Gates' testimony that he was effectively blackmailed by Epstein.

According to Gates, Epstein pressured him to maintain their relationship by using sensitive information related to Gates' extramarital affairs.

In other words, it was not just a simple friendship but an attempt at blackmail.

Republican Congressman Tim Burchett, who attended the hearing, told reporters that Gates appeared quite exhausted. He reported, "He looked haggard and very stressed."

Of course, some have reacted by saying that anyone would have shown similar signs after years of controversy and media scrutiny.

Gates emphasized in Congress that he has never visited Epstein's private island, New Mexico ranch, or Florida home, nor has he witnessed any criminal activity.

This statement is interpreted as an effort to clearly delineate his role amid the recently released materials related to Epstein.

James Comer, the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, stated that the investigation is considering additional inquiries into Gates as well as other related figures, including Epstein's longtime attorney Alan Dershowitz. Congressional interest is expanding beyond Epstein's individual crimes to the network of politicians, businesspeople, financiers, and celebrities who interacted with him.

In American society, curiosity has long persisted about how many influential figures are included in the "Epstein files."

However, there are also calls to clearly distinguish between involvement in crimes and mere interactions based on the materials released so far.

Gates' testimony also lies on that complex boundary. Questions about why a person who leads the world's largest charitable foundation and has invested heavily in global health projects came into contact with Epstein, and the extent of that relationship, are likely to continue for the foreseeable future.

One clear fact is that even years after Jeffrey Epstein's death in 2019, many suspicions remain.

And this appearance of Bill Gates before Congress seems poised to be recorded as yet another symbolic moment showing that the shadow of this issue has not yet faded.