Bill Gates Tells Congress Jeffrey Epstein Tried to Use Infidelities to Pressure Him

Bill Gates says he wasn't friends with Jeffrey Epstein ... and he claims the convicted pedophile tried to get close to him by using his extramarital affair against him.

The tech mogul testified Wednesday before the House Oversight Committee about his relationship with the disgraced financier ... and he tried to put some distance between them -- claiming he never went to Epstein's island, ranch or Florida home, according to a testimony transcript he posted online.

Bill also said he had no interest in developing a personal relationship with Epstein.

The billionaire testified Epstein "had become aware of sensitive information about my personal life, including the fact that I had been unfaithful in my marriage" ... and, after the two stopped speaking in 2014, Bill said Epstein attempted to use this knowledge to reopen the relationship.

Bill added ... "He was unsuccessful in this effort, but it shows some of the ways he tried to leverage his interactions with me to further his agenda. I should never have met with Epstein in the first place."

As we reported ... Bill denied allegations made against him in emails found in Epstein's drafts ... which claimed Epstein helped Bill secure STD medication so his then-wife Melinda Gates wouldn't know.

During an interview with Australian news outlet 9News earlier this year, Bill said ... "Apparently, Jeffrey wrote an email to himself. That email was never sent. The email is false. I don't know what his thinking was there."