Leon Black sues House panel, skips deposition in Epstein probe

Billionaire investor Leon Black did not appear for a scheduled sworn deposition before a congressional committee on Thursday. Instead, he filed a lawsuit against the House Oversight Committee, seeking to invalidate subpoenas issued during its inquiry into the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.

The legal challenge stems from a closed-door voluntary interview in June. Lawmakers said Black declined to answer questions about nondisclosure agreements, prompting the committee to issue two subpoenas — one demanding documents, including NDAs, and another compelling him to return for a formal deposition.

Black's lawsuit contends the subpoenas overreach by demanding private information unrelated to Epstein or any legitimate legislative aim. His attorney, Susan Estrich, called the committee's actions a "fishing expedition" that ignores its responsibilities, adding that the probe is no longer about uncovering facts about Epstein but about harming her client.

Representative Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the committee, responded by calling for contempt proceedings, stating that Black is now defying two congressional subpoenas.

Black co-founded Apollo Global Management and served as its chief executive until stepping down in 2021 amid scrutiny of his ties to Epstein. He is among several prominent figures linked to the investigation, which has also involved former President Bill Clinton, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.

Justice Department files released in connection with the Epstein case reference Black repeatedly. The House committee also published a collection of birthday messages sent to Epstein last year, including a poem attributed to Black.

Ahead of his June appearance, Black maintained he was unaware of Epstein's alleged criminal activity until 2019, saying he had paid Epstein for legitimate services, partly due to Epstein's connections with influential people.