US House votes to hold billionaire Epstein associate Leon Black in contempt

The US House of Representatives has voted to hold billionaire Leon Black in contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with a legal summons related to its investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. Black, who had business connections to Epstein, did not meet a subpoena demanding he attend a House Oversight Committee meeting to present documents regarding Epstein.

Black's legal team deemed the contempt ruling "outrageous" and highlighted the ongoing litigation challenging the legality of the committee's actions. The unanimous consent measure passed by the House means the case will now be directed towards the US justice department, which will determine if Black should face criminal prosecution.

Congressman Robert Garcia, the committee's top Democrat, called the vote a crucial step towards justice and accountability, emphasizing the need to keep survivors at the forefront of the fight for accountability. Private equity tycoon Leon Black walked out of voluntary testimony in June when asked about nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) he may have signed.

He left Apollo Global Management, which he co-founded, amid scrutiny in 2021 over his ties to Epstein. Black has denied any wrongdoing related to his dealings with Epstein, stating he hired Epstein as a wealth management adviser for legitimate reasons and only became aware of Epstein's crimes after he was charged with sex trafficking in July 2019.