Leon Black sues House panel after defying subpoenas in Epstein probe

Leon Black sues House panel after defying subpoenas in Epstein probe

Billionaire investor Leon Black failed to appear before the House Oversight Committee on Thursday, instead filing a federal lawsuit to challenge the panel's efforts to summon him. The legal action, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, labels the committee's subpoenas invalid and argues they lack a legitimate connection to the committee's legislative goals.

The conflict follows a June 26 voluntary appearance by Black, the founder and former CEO of Apollo Global Management, which ended abruptly when Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., questioned him about nondisclosure agreements (NDAs). Following that exit, the committee issued two subpoenas requiring Black to provide an on-camera deposition under oath and to turn over NDAs to which he may be a party.

In his lawsuit, Black describes the inquiry led by Comer as a public fishing expedition intended to score political points. His legal team argues that producing the requested documents would violate the privacy of women who bargained for confidentiality and have no public connection to Jeffrey Epstein. Black asserts he has already provided the only confidentiality agreement in which Epstein could have been involved, stating it was the only one executed while Epstein was alive.

Susan Estrich, an attorney for Black, claimed the committee is attempting to destroy Mr Black and characterized the subpoenas as an abuse of Congressional power.

Committee members responded with calls for immediate sanctions. Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., the ranking member, stated that Black is now defying two subpoenas and argued that his unwillingness to cooperate is unacceptable. Garcia further accused Black of having funded Epstein's abuse and trafficking of women and noted that multiple women have accused Black of sexual assault.

Chairman James Comer also expressed disappointment, stating that Black's testimony is crucial to the investigation. Comer noted that among the powerful figures the panel has interviewed, Black is the first to file a lawsuit. Both Comer and Garcia have indicated they will discuss holding Black in contempt of Congress, a move that could lead to a referral to the justice department for potential prosecution.

Black has consistently denied any wrongdoing. During his June testimony, he stated he never abused a woman, never engaged in sex trafficking, and never paid Epstein for access to women. He has described himself as a victim of extortion in previous contexts.

The relationship between the two men was primarily financial. Black testified that he began paying Epstein for wealth management advice in 2013, totaling $158 million for legitimate purposes including tax and estate planning. Black claimed he did not learn of Epstein's nefarious activity until the financier was charged with trafficking in July 2019.

However, the panel's investigation has highlighted a more personal overlap. Emails released by the committee show Epstein offering advice to Black in 2015 regarding a contentious split from a former Russian model, Guzel Ganieva, with whom Black had a six-year affair. In one email, Epstein suggested Black hire former law enforcement officers from agencies such as Scotland Yard or the SFO to knock on her door and present the terms of an agreement.

Court records indicate Black discussed that specific agreement with only a private investigator and Epstein. While Ganieva filed a lawsuit alleging abuse and claiming Black used an NDA to secure her silence, a judge dismissed the case, citing the agreement and approximately $9 million Ganieva received in the following years. Estrich has called Ganieva's accusations demonstrably false.

Black's name appears thousands of times in the Justice Department's Epstein files, though officials note that appearing in these documents does not inherently imply criminal wrongdoing. He is also one of five clients identified by Epstein's former accountant, Richard Kahn, as having paid money to the financier. Other names on that list include Les Wexner, Glenn Dubin, Steven Sinofsky, and the Rothschild family.

Black has previously explained his association with Epstein as a means to access a network of influential figures. He named several individuals Epstein claimed to be connected with, including Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Bill Clinton, Sergey Brin, Reid Hoffman, and Peter Thiel, among others. Black later stated that Epstein exaggerated, embellished, manipulated, and outright lied about his influence.

Black stepped down from Apollo Global Management in 2021, citing the toll that media scrutiny regarding his ties to Epstein had taken on his health.

The House Oversight Committee has already questioned various high-profile figures as part of this probe, including Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and the Clintons. The panel will now determine whether to proceed with contempt charges as the legal battle over the subpoenas continues in federal court.