The House Oversight Committee subpoenaed billionaire Leon Black for documents and testimony about non-disclosure agreements with Jeffrey Epstein's victims. The move came after Black allegedly refused to answer questions and walked out of a voluntary interview. Black, who paid Epstein $158 million for financial services, denies any knowledge of Epstein's crimes, claiming he was deceived. His lawyer called the subpoena a "political stunt."
Congressional subpoena issued
- ▪Susan Estrich, Leon Black's attorney, described the subpoenas as a "planned political stunt."
- ▪The committee scheduled Leon Black's deposition under oath for July 16
- ▪The House Oversight Committee issued two subpoenas to billionaire investor Leon Black on June 26, 2026
- ▪The subpoenas compel Black to provide documents related to non-disclosure agreements with Jeffrey Epstein's victims and to appear for a deposition
Black-Epstein financial relationship
- ▪In 2023, Leon Black paid $62.5 million to the U.S. Virgin Islands to resolve potential legal claims from an Epstein-related probe
- ▪A 2021 review by the law firm Dechert concluded Epstein's work for Black was legitimate and saved his family office billions in taxes
- ▪Leon Black paid Jeffrey Epstein $158 million for tax and estate planning services between 2012 and 2017
- ▪Leon Black claims Jeffrey Epstein misled him that the $158 million in fees were tax-deductible, which Black later learned was false
- ▪Leon Black stated he severed ties with Jeffrey Epstein in 2018 after a year of "increasing turmoil" in their professional relationship
Non-disclosure agreements dispute
- ▪Rep. James Comer, the committee chair, said information on the NDAs is "vital" to the investigation
- ▪Leon Black's attorney asserted that Jeffrey Epstein had no involvement with any NDAs
- ▪Rep. Robert Garcia stated that without answers on the NDAs, "we're not going to have justice for the survivors."
- ▪Committee members said Leon Black refused to answer questions about non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) involving victims of Jeffrey Epstein's abuse
Sexual abuse allegations
- ▪Sen. Ron Wyden referred findings to the House committee suggesting Jeffrey Epstein may have acted as a middleman for Leon Black to pay women
Epstein criminal background
- ▪Jeffrey Epstein pleaded guilty to state prostitution charges in 2008 and was arrested again in 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges
- ▪The Justice Department alleged Jeffrey Epstein sexually abused girls as young as 14 between 2002 and 2005
- ▪Jeffrey Epstein died by suicide in a New York jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal charges
Black denials of wrongdoing
- ▪Leon Black stepped down as CEO of Apollo Global Management in 2021 following a review of his ties to Jeffrey Epstein
- ▪Leon Black claimed he was unaware of Jeffrey Epstein's "heinous conduct" until 2019, stating "I knew Jekyll. I didn't know Hyde."
- ▪Leon Black stated he never paid Jeffrey Epstein for access to women and was never blackmailed by him
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