Apollo Co-Founder Leon Black Sues House Committee to Block Epstein Probe Subpoena

Billionaire investor Leon Black has sued a U.S. congressional committee to block a subpoena for documents related to its investigation into the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The lawsuit, filed in Washington federal court on Thursday, came as Black also declined to appear for a deposition scheduled the same day by the House Oversight Committee.

Lawsuit Alleges Abuse of Power

In the court filing, Black accused the House Oversight Committee and its chairman, Rep. James Comer, of exceeding their constitutional authority. The lawsuit alleges the committee's subpoenas have no legitimate legislative purpose and constitute an unlawful "fishing expedition" that began after a voluntary interview with Black in June.

According to the complaint, the demand for non-disclosure agreements threatens to violate the privacy of women who have no connection to the Epstein scandal. "This is no longer about finding the truth about Epstein. It is about trying to destroy Mr. Black," said Susan Estrich, an attorney for Black, in a statement. "We were left with no choice but to file this lawsuit in response to an abuse of Congressional power."

Committee Vows to Proceed

Chairman Comer defended the investigation's scope, stating its goal is to uncover how federal authorities mishandled the Epstein case and how the financier used powerful connections to evade justice. He described Black's testimony as essential to the probe.

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"It’s a shame Leon Black is hiding behind litigation rather than provide answers to the American people,” Comer said in a statement. “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 committee said it would proceed with the deposition to formally document Black's absence before determining its next steps.

Background and Apollo Fallout

The legal confrontation follows years of scrutiny over Black's financial ties to Epstein. An external review commissioned by Apollo Global Management (APO), the private equity firm Black co-founded, found he had paid Epstein $158 million for tax and estate planning services.

The revelations from that review led to Black relinquishing his role as Apollo's chief executive in 2021. Epstein was found dead in a New York jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges, with his death ruled a suicide. Apollo declined to comment on the lawsuit.