US House panel recommends holding billionaire Leon Black in contempt over Epstein probe

A congressional committee voted unanimously on Tuesday to recommend holding billionaire financier Leon Black in contempt of Congress for defying subpoenas about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein.

The 41-0 vote by the House Oversight Committee escalates a high-stakes standoff with the former Apollo Global Management chief executive. Black missed a scheduled deposition on 3 September and has refused to hand over a series of nondisclosure agreements sought by investigators. He has instead sued the committee to block the demands.

"Subpoenas are not suggestions; they carry the force of law and require full compliance," James Comer, the Republican chairman of the committee, said before the vote. He added that Black's testimony is vital because of his close personal relationship with Epstein during the years the late financier was running a sex-trafficking ring.

Why the committee is pursuing Black

The panel's top Democrat, Robert Garcia, supported the move, stating that billionaires should not be allowed to flout the law. Garcia said the broader investigation is aimed at developing legal reforms to stop the wealthy and powerful from shielding abusive behaviour.

Black's lawyers, Susan Estrich and Aaron Cutler, fired back on Tuesday, calling the contempt vote a "complete abomination" and "retaliation." In a statement, they argued the committee had lost sight of its legislative purpose and was abusing its power to bully and destroy the legal protections of private citizens.

The attorneys also sent letters to the committee announcing they had filed a complaint with the Office of Congressional Conduct. The complaint calls for an investigation into Comer's behaviour ahead of the failed 3 September deposition, though the letters did not detail exactly what the chairman is accused of doing.

The financial relationship

Black has consistently denied any wrongdoing, stating he had no knowledge of Epstein’s crimes and never paid him for access to women. His lawsuit argues that forcing him to turn over the nondisclosure agreements would compromise the privacy of women who have no connection to Epstein's crimes.

An internal review by Apollo in 2021 revealed that Black had paid Epstein $158 million for tax and estate planning advice between 2012 and 2017. These payments occurred years after Epstein had pleaded guilty to a minor solicitation charge in Florida in 2008.

Before the scheduled deposition earlier this month, more than a dozen survivors of Epstein's abuse had publicly urged Black to comply with the congressional subpoenas, arguing that his use of nondisclosure agreements required closer scrutiny.

What happens next

The recommendation now goes to the full House of Representatives, which must decide whether to vote on the contempt charge. House Speaker Mike Johnson’s office has not yet said whether or when the chamber will take up the measure.