House Panel Backs Contempt Finding Against Leon Black in Epstein Inquiry

A U.S. House committee voted on Tuesday to recommend that billionaire Leon Black be held in contempt of Congress, after he declined to comply with subpoenas issued as part of an investigation into the activities of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The move by the House Oversight Committee sets up a potential contempt referral following Black's refusal to cooperate with the panel's demands for information.

The recommendation marks an escalation in the congressional inquiry, which has sought testimony and documents connected to Epstein, who died in 2019 while facing federal sex-trafficking charges.

Black, a prominent figure in the financial world, has not complied with the subpoenas, according to the committee's action. The vote advances the matter within the House, though further steps would be required before any formal contempt proceedings could move forward.

The committee's decision reflects ongoing congressional scrutiny of individuals with ties to Epstein. No additional details on the next procedural steps were immediately available.