House Holds Billionaire Leon Black in Contempt Over Epstein Investigation Subpoenas/ TezzBuzz/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ The House held billionaire Leon Black in contempt of Congress after he refused to comply with subpoenas in its Jeffrey Epstein investigation. The bipartisan resolution was approved without a recorded vote and referred to the Justice Department for possible criminal prosecution. Black’s attorneys deny that he knew about Epstein’s criminal conduct and accuse the House Oversight Committee of abusing its authority.
Quick Look
- The House held Leon Black in contempt of Congress.
- The resolution was approved by unanimous consent without a recorded vote.
- The matter has been referred to the Justice Department.
- Federal prosecutors will decide whether to pursue criminal charges.
- Black refused to attend a subpoenaed deposition.
- He also declined to provide requested nondisclosure agreements.
- Republicans and Democrats supported the contempt action.
- Black’s attorneys called the investigation politically motivated.
- Black paid Epstein $158 million between 2012 and 2017, according to an independent review.
- Black stepped down from Apollo Global Management in 2021 amid scrutiny of his Epstein ties.
Deep Look
House finds Leon Black in contempt
The House approved a resolution Wednesday holding billionaire investor Leon Black in contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with subpoenas issued during an investigation into Jeffrey Epstein.
Lawmakers acted swiftly and approved the measure without a formal recorded vote. The resolution was adopted by unanimous consent and referred to the Department of Justice.
The referral does not automatically result in criminal charges. Justice Department officials must decide whether to investigate further and pursue prosecution.
The House action and Justice Department referral were reported by the Associated Press. The House Oversight Committee also confirmed that the resolution concerned Black’s refusal to comply with two subpoenas.
Subpoenas sought testimony and documents
The House Oversight Committee requested Black’s testimony and documents as part of its continuing investigation into Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
Lawmakers specifically sought any nondisclosure and confidentiality agreements that might involve Epstein, Maxwell or matters connected to the investigation.
Black participated in a voluntary committee interview in June. Lawmakers later said he refused to answer questions about nondisclosure agreements during that session.
The committee subsequently issued two subpoenas requiring him to produce the agreements and appear for a sworn deposition on July 16.
Committee officials said they accommodated Black’s request to postpone the deposition until Sept. 3. He did not appear on the rescheduled date.
Bipartisan committee supported contempt finding
Republicans and Democrats on the Oversight Committee worked together to advance the contempt resolution.
On Tuesday, the committee unanimously recommended holding Black in contempt, sending the matter to the full House for consideration.
Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, the Republican chairman of the committee, said Black could not disregard congressional demands for information.
“No one is above the law,” Comer said in a statement. “We will continue to seek transparency for the American people and justice for survivors in our investigation of the federal government’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell criminal cases.”
Rep. Robert Garcia of California, the committee’s ranking Democrat, described the House action as “an important step towards justice and accountability.”
The bipartisan support reflected lawmakers’ shared insistence that witnesses comply with subpoenas, despite broader political divisions surrounding the Epstein investigation.
Justice Department will determine next step
The contempt resolution formally refers Black’s case to the Justice Department.
Federal prosecutors will determine whether the evidence supports criminal contempt charges. The House’s decision does not establish criminal guilt, and any prosecution would occur through the judicial system.
The Justice Department could pursue the case, decline to prosecute or conduct an additional review before deciding.
The referral represents Congress’ criminal contempt mechanism for responding to a witness who allegedly refuses to comply with a subpoena.
Black is also challenging the committee’s actions in federal court, creating a separate legal dispute over the validity and scope of the subpoenas.
Black’s attorneys reject committee allegations
Black’s lawyers accused the Oversight Committee of exceeding its legitimate investigative authority.
They maintain that Black possessed no relevant information about Epstein’s crimes and said he “had no knowledge of any of Epstein’s heinous conduct.”
“The Committee has continued to insist on looking for information that does not exist,” attorneys Susan Estrich and Aaron Cutler said in a statement.
The lawyers described the congressional investigation as “politically motivated.”
They have sued the Oversight Committee and asked the Office of Congressional Conduct to investigate Comer’s tactics.
“This an outrageous action that ignores the facts and the truth about Mr. Black,” they said.
The lawsuit and statements represent Black’s legal team’s response to the subpoenas and contempt proceedings. The committee rejects their characterization and maintains that its subpoenas are lawful.
Epstein investigation reaches prominent figures
Black is one of several wealthy and politically prominent individuals asked to provide information in the House investigation.
The committee has also sought testimony or documents from figures including former President Bill Clinton and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.
Congressional investigators are examining Epstein’s relationships with powerful people and the federal government’s handling of criminal cases involving Epstein and Maxwell.
Survivors have described being young women and girls within a sexual-trafficking operation organized by Epstein with assistance from Maxwell.
The investigation seeks information about Epstein’s financial arrangements, personal network, possible confidentiality agreements and the circumstances that allowed his conduct to continue.
A congressional request for testimony does not itself indicate that the person being questioned participated in Epstein’s crimes.
Black’s financial relationship with Epstein
Black co-founded Apollo Global Management and previously led the private equity company.
Lawmakers have alleged that he paid Epstein approximately $180 million during their yearslong professional relationship.
An independent review commissioned by Apollo reached a lower figure. It found that Black paid Epstein $158 million between 2012 and 2017.
That period began several years after Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting prostitution from a minor.
According to the review, the payments covered “bona fide tax, estate planning and other related services.”
The review’s finding concerning the stated purpose of the payments did not end scrutiny of why Black maintained the financial relationship after Epstein’s guilty plea.
Black stepped down from Apollo
Black left his leadership position at Apollo Global Management in 2021 as scrutiny intensified over his connections to Epstein.
His relationship with Epstein has continued to attract congressional and public attention because of the scale of the payments and the length of their association.
The Oversight Committee is now seeking information that lawmakers believe could help explain aspects of that relationship and whether any nondisclosure agreements are relevant to the broader investigation.
Black’s lawyers maintain that the committee is demanding material that either does not exist or falls beyond a legitimate congressional purpose.
Contempt action does not resolve underlying dispute
The House resolution escalates the conflict but does not resolve the investigation or Black’s legal challenge.
The Justice Department must decide whether to act on the referral, while a federal court could consider Black’s arguments against the subpoenas.
Congress may continue pursuing relevant documents and testimony through other legal or investigative mechanisms.
The contempt finding also does not determine whether Black knew about Epstein’s criminal conduct. It concerns his alleged refusal to comply with congressional subpoenas rather than a finding that he participated in Epstein’s offenses.
More on US News