Billionaire Leon Black has sued the US House Oversight Committee after refusing to appear for a subpoenaed deposition about his dealings with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The former Apollo Global Management chief was due to give evidence in Washington on Thursday, 3 September 2026. Instead, his lawyers filed a civil action in the US District Court for the District of Columbia seeking to block the committee’s demands for his testimony and documents.
Black’s lawsuit describes the investigation, led by Republican chairman James Comer, as a “public fishing expedition” and accuses the panel of exceeding its constitutional authority. It argues that congressional investigations must serve a legitimate legislative purpose and claims the subpoenas do not meet that test.
The committee proceeded with the deposition in Black’s absence, leaving an empty chair in the room. Mr Comer said lawmakers would consider whether to hold him in contempt of Congress.
“It’s a shame Leon Black is hiding behind litigation rather than provide answers to the American people,” Mr Comer said. He added that Black’s evidence was crucial because he had been one of Epstein’s fee-paying clients and had been involved in several non-disclosure agreements.
Leon Black challenges Epstein investigation subpoenas
Two subpoenas were issued to Black in June, after he ended a voluntary interview with the committee when questions turned to non-disclosure agreements. One required him to return for a sworn, recorded deposition, while the other sought agreements and related documents.
Black says he has already provided the only confidentiality agreement in which Epstein could have been involved while he was alive. His lawsuit argues that handing over further agreements could reveal the identities and private circumstances of women who had sought confidentiality.
He has denied knowing about Epstein’s criminal conduct. An independent investigation commissioned by Apollo concluded that Black paid Epstein $158 million between 2012 and 2017 for tax, estate-planning and other legitimate services.
Black also told the committee during his June appearance that he had never abused a woman, had never had sex with an underage woman, had never engaged in sex trafficking, had never paid Epstein for access to women and had never been blackmailed by him.
Robert Garcia, the committee’s senior Democrat, said Black should be held in contempt for ignoring the subpoenas. He alleged that Black had funded Epstein’s abuse and trafficking and referred to accusations of sexual assault made against the financier, claims Black has denied.
Black’s name appears thousands of times in documents released as part of the wider Epstein investigation. Its appearance in those files does not, by itself, establish criminal wrongdoing.
The House inquiry is examining the government’s handling of Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, the circumstances surrounding Epstein’s death and the ways in which the pair sought influence among wealthy and powerful figures. Epstein was arrested in July 2019 on federal sex-trafficking charges and died in prison later that year. Authorities ruled his death a suicide.
Mr Comer said Black was the first prominent witness sought by the panel to respond to its investigation by filing a lawsuit. The committee has also questioned a number of political and business figures as it examines Epstein’s network and the authorities’ response to his crimes.
