A congressional committee subpoenaed billionaire investor Leon Black on June 26 amid an ongoing investigation into the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee is seeking information related to non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) with Epstein’s victims and compelled Black’s appearance for a deposition. Black appeared voluntarily that day for a private interview but was ordered to return on July 16 to provide testimony under oath.
Black told the panel he had no knowledge of Epstein’s “heinous conduct” and denied any involvement in sex trafficking or abuse of women. “I have never paid Epstein for access to women,” he said, adding that he was never blackmailed by Epstein. The investor, who resigned from Apollo Global Management in 2021 following scrutiny of his financial ties to Epstein, maintained that his relationship with Epstein was limited to financial and estate planning advice.
Rep. James Comer (R-Kentucky), chair of the committee, stated that the subpoenas were issued after Black declined to answer specific questions regarding NDAs and victim-related issues. "We believe that information is vital to our investigation," Comer said. He noted that the panel had numerous questions about Black’s financial transactions and communications with survivors, describing this testimony as potentially the most revealing of all witnesses so far.
Black’s attorney, Susan Estrich, criticized the subpoenas as a “planned political stunt” and emphasized that Epstein had no involvement with any NDAs attributed to Black. She noted that the subpoenas were issued before her client had been directly questioned about payments related to Epstein.
During the interview, Black acknowledged knowing Epstein for 18 years but stated he only paid him after Epstein helped resolve significant estate issues. He said he was aware of Epstein’s 2008 guilty plea on state prostitution charges but was told the incident was isolated and involved a fake identification. Black expressed regret over continuing business with Epstein after 2013 and said he severed ties in 2018 amid growing difficulties.
The committee reported that Black refused to answer questions about Epstein’s victims and related NDAs, and that he left the interview before it concluded. Rep. Robert Garcia (D-California), the committee’s top Democrat, emphasized the importance of obtaining access to NDAs and having Black testify under oath to advance the investigation and secure justice for survivors.
Black settled with the U.S. Virgin Islands in 2023 for $62.5 million to resolve legal claims tied to an Epstein-related probe. He has faced multiple civil lawsuits alleging sexual abuse; two were dismissed, and one remains ongoing. Black has denied all allegations and has not faced criminal charges.
Epstein, a financier with close ties to prominent political and business figures, was convicted in 2008 on state charges related to prostitution and jailed for 13 months. He was arrested in 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges involving minors, and his death in a New York jail was later ruled a suicide.