Billionaire Leon Black challenges House subpoena for Epstein testimony

Private equity investor Leon Black filed a lawsuit Thursday to stave off subpoenas demanding he testify and hand over documents as part of a congressional investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Black was slated to appear the same day for a deposition before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee to answer questions about his ties to Epstein. The investor denies knowledge of any of Epstein’s illegal activity .

His lawsuit argues the committee lacks legal authority to enforce the subpoenas and that they improperly seek private information.

“Additionally, the subpoenas would also expose women who value their privacy, who have no known or public connection to Epstein, who bargained for confidentiality and have refused to release it, and who have no ability to protect themselves and their privacy before the Committee,” the complaint states.

The suit was filed in federal court in the nation’s capital. It has not yet been assigned to a judge.

The committee’s leadership teased consequences for Black.

Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), the committee’s chair, said Thursday’s deposition would move forward with an empty chair for the billionaire.

“It’s a shame Leon Black is hiding behind litigation rather than provide answers to the American people,” Comer said in a statement. “Our investigation is examining how the federal government for decades failed survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s crimes and how Mr. Epstein sought to curry favor with influential individuals to avoid scrutiny.”

“Mr. Black’s testimony is crucial to our investigation as he was one of Mr. Epstein’s fee paying clients and has several nondisclosure agreements,” the Kentucky Republican said, adding that he would speak with members of the panel about “next steps.”

But the top Democrat on the committee, Rep. Robert Garcia (Calif.), said it should move forward with holding Black in contempt, a process that, if successful, would refer the Epstein associate to the Justice Department for criminal charges.

“By refusing to testify today, Leon Black is now defying two Congressional subpoenas. Black gave Jeffrey Epstein over $180 million over six years. He funded Epstein’s abuse and trafficking of women. Multiple women have also accused Black of sexual assault. His connections to Epstein and his unwillingness to cooperate are unacceptable. We must hold him in contempt immediately,” Garcia said in a statement.

Lawmakers have sought to question Black, who co-founded Apollo Global Management, about payments he made to Epstein totaling millions over years. The investor says the payments were for tax and estate planning, among other services, and he had no knowledge of any abuse.

In June, Black voluntarily appeared for an interview with lawmakers but walked out during questioning. The subpoenas were issued the same day.

The billionaire says he has complied with multiple document requests from the committee, sometimes known as OGR, but argues others are overbroad.

“And they have left Mr. Black with a Hobson’s choice: to surrender private and confidential information that OGR has no lawful authority to demand or to maintain his well-founded objections and face actual or threatened contempt proceedings and federal court enforcement of an overbroad subpoena,” his lawsuit states.