Billionaire Leon Black Sues House Committee Over Epstein Investigation

Billionaire Leon Black has filed a lawsuit in Washington federal court against a US House committee following a dispute over subpoenas related to an investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. Black, the co-founder of Apollo Global Management, skipped a scheduled deposition on Thursday and is challenging the committee's authority to demand copies of nondisclosure agreements.

In his complaint, Black alleges that the House Oversight Committee and Chairman James Comer have weaponized a voluntary June interview to conduct an unlawful fishing expedition. His attorney, Susan Estrich, stated that the committee is abusing congressional power in an attempt to destroy Mr. Black rather than find the truth about Epstein. Black further argued that the subpoenas lack a legitimate legislative purpose and could violate the privacy of women unrelated to the scandal.

Chairman James Comer defended the probe, stating that the investigation aims to uncover how federal authorities mishandled the cases of Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell and how Epstein used powerful connections to evade justice. Comer described Black's testimony as crucial because Black was a fee-paying client of Epstein. The committee is proceeding with the deposition process to formally document Black's absence before considering further actions, which may include holding him in contempt of Congress.

Black previously stepped down as chief executive of Apollo in 2021 after an external law firm found he had paid Epstein 158 million dollars for tax and estate planning. During a voluntary appearance in June, Black denied abusing women or engaging in sex with underage women, but he reportedly walked out of the interview, leading the committee to order his return under oath.