Billionaire Leon Black skips US congressional deposition over Epstein ties

Leon Black, a billionaire and former chief executive of Apollo Global Management, has taken legal action against a House of Representatives committee investigating Jeffrey Epstein. The lawsuit was filed after Black missed a scheduled deposition, having previously refused to answer questions related to nondisclosure agreements with Epstein.

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform had issued two subpoenas to Black during a voluntary interview in June. Black's lawyer criticized the panel's investigation, stating it was a "fishing expedition" and overstepping its authority. Representative Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the Oversight Committee, called for Black to be held in contempt of Congress, a move that would require a vote by the full House before a citation could be sent to a federal prosecutor.

Black's lawsuit aims to block the subpoenas, one of which requested documents related to his interactions with Epstein. The investigation has brought to light the involvement of multiple influential figures, including former President Bill Clinton, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates. However, President Donald Trump has not been called to testify.

The committee's investigation is separate from the Department of Justice probe into Epstein, which has only resulted in charges against Epstein and his confidante Ghislane Maxwell. Despite the release of Justice Department documents, lawmakers from both parties have expressed concerns over the lack of full transparency regarding ongoing investigations.