Billionaire investor Leon Black did not appear for a sworn deposition before Congress on Thursday and instead filed a lawsuit against the House Oversight Committee, seeking to block subpoenas issued as part of its investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. The committee had served Black with two subpoenas during a closed-door voluntary interview in June after he declined to answer questions regarding nondisclosure agreements. One subpoena requested the production of nondisclosure agreements and other documents, while the other required him to return for a deposition.
Black's lawsuit claims that the subpoenas exceed the committee's authority by seeking private information not related to Epstein or any legitimate legislative purpose. He is asking a federal judge to declare the subpoenas invalid and prevent their enforcement.
Susan Estrich, Black's attorney, stated, "The Committee is on a fishing expedition that oversteps its authority and completely ignores its responsibility. This is no longer about finding the truth about Epstein. It is about trying to destroy Mr. Black."
The chair of the committee, James Comer, and Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the committee, both criticized Black's lawsuit. Comer expressed disappointment, noting that this was the first time anyone had filed suit in response to a subpoena from the committee. Garcia described the lawsuit as "laughable" and accused Black of attempting to delay the process of obtaining information.
If the House approves a contempt resolution against Black, it would be up to the Justice Department to decide whether to pursue charges. Black is the co-founder and former CEO of Apollo Global Management and resigned in 2021 amid scrutiny over his connections to Epstein. Lawmakers have alleged that Black paid Epstein $180 million during their relationship, with a 2021 review by Apollo indicating that Black paid Epstein $158 million from 2012 to 2017 for legitimate services despite Epstein's prior conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor.
Black is among several high-profile individuals involved in the Epstein investigation, which has included testimonies from figures such as former President Bill Clinton and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. He is also mentioned in files released by the Justice Department related to the investigation and in birthday messages sent to Epstein, including a poem attributed to Black.