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🇺🇸 United States /Crime & Justice

Billionaire Leon Black Sues House Oversight Committee Over Epstein Probe

From CBS News · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources In the courts
  • Leon Black sued to block House Oversight Committee subpoenas requiring him to testify and provide documents in its investigation of Jeffrey Epstein.
  • Black argues the subpoenas lack a legitimate connection to the committee’s legislative work and could expose women who agreed to nondisclosure terms.
  • Committee members accused Black of defying Congress and called for him to face contempt proceedings.

Leon Black chose a lawsuit over a return appearance before Congress, challenging subpoenas that would force him to testify and turn over documents to the House committee investigating Jeffrey Epstein.

no legitimate connection

· Leon BlackBlack’s lawsuit argues that the subpoenas are unrelated to the committee’s legislative purpose.

Black, an investor and former close associate of Epstein, received the subpoenas in June after abruptly leaving a voluntary appearance before the House Oversight Committee. During that transcribed interview, he declined to answer questions about nondisclosure agreements. Committee Chair James Comer then demanded a sworn, videotaped deposition and documents connected to those agreements.

Black co-founded Apollo Global Management and employed Epstein as a wealth management adviser. He also allegedly discussed personal matters with Epstein, including extramarital affairs that ended in nondisclosure agreements. In court papers filed in federal court in Washington, Black says the subpoenas have “no legitimate connection” to the committee’s legislative purpose. He argues that producing the agreements would “expose women who value their privacy, who have no known or public connection to Epstein, who bargained for confidentiality and have refused to release it.”

expose women who value their privacy, who have no known or public connection to Epstein, who bargained for confidentiality and have refused to release it.

· Leon BlackBlack argues that releasing nondisclosure agreements would violate the privacy of women named in them.

Black’s lawyer, Susan Estrich, said the committee “is on a fishing expedition.” She added, “This is no longer about finding the truth about Epstein. It is about trying to destroy Mr. Black. We were left with no choice but to file this lawsuit in response to an abuse of Congressional power.”

is on a fishing expedition.

· Susan EstrichBlack’s lawyer criticized the committee’s investigation in a press release.

The committee’s ranking member, California Representative Robert Garcia, called for Black to be held in contempt. Garcia said Black was “defying two Congressional subpoenas” and accused him of having “funded Epstein’s abuse and trafficking of women.” Emails released by the committee last year show Epstein advised Black in 2015 during a dispute with a former Russian model. One suggestion involved considering former law enforcement officers to deliver a message to her.

This is no longer about finding the truth about Epstein. It is about trying to destroy Mr. Black. We were left with no choice but to file this lawsuit in response to an abuse of Congressional power.

· Susan EstrichEstrich explained why Black challenged the subpoenas in court.
About this summary

Originally published by CBS News in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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