WASHINGTON — One of America’s richest men sued the House Oversight Committee Thursday in a desperate bid to avoid testifying about his connection to late sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
Leon Black, the 75-year-old former CEO of Apollo Global Management, called a subpoena for his testimony “invalid” and said the inquiry “bears no legitimate connection to [a] legislative purpose.”
Black stepped down from Apollo in 2021 after an independent review commissioned by the firm found he steered $158 million to Epstein in exchange for financial advice and purported charitable work.
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) accused Black of “hiding behind litigation” to avoid providing answers about his relationship with Epstein, who was found dead in his Manhattan jail cell in 2019.
“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,” Comer said.
Comer added that he believes Black is trying to run out the clock on the current congressional session, which ends Jan. 3, 2027, after which the subpoena would have to be reissued if Black does not appear.
Black is America’s 78th-richest man, according to Forbes, with an estimated net worth of $13.8 billion.
