Billionaire Leon Black has filed a lawsuit against the House Oversight Committee, challenging a subpoena that requires him to testify about his past financial dealings with the late Jeffrey Epstein. The committee is investigating Black's connection to the convicted sex trafficker.
In the lawsuit filed Thursday, Black, the 75-year-old former CEO of Apollo Global Management, asserted that the subpoena is "invalid" and that the committee's inquiry "bears no legitimate connection to [a] legislative purpose." Black stepped down from his leadership role at Apollo in 2021 following an independent review that found he had paid Epstein $158 million for financial advice and other services.
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) stated that Black is attempting to evade testimony by using litigation. Comer emphasized that Black's testimony is critical because he was a fee-paying client of Epstein's and has entered into several non-disclosure agreements related to their relationship. Comer also suggested that Black might be trying to delay the proceedings until the end of the current congressional session on January 3, 2027, after which the subpoena would need to be reissued.
Forbes ranks Black as the 78th-richest individual in the United States, with an estimated net worth of $13.8 billion.
