Billionaire Leon Black Subpoenaed in House Epstein Probe, Walks Out
On June 26, 2026, billionaire Leon Black testified before the U.S. House Oversight Committee about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein, denying knowledge of Epstein’s crimes and claiming Epstein inflated fees for $170 million in services. Black refused to answer questions about non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) with Epstein victims, prompting Chairman James Comer to issue a subpoena for further deposition. Black walked out, his attorney calling it a political stunt. The committee seeks to uncover Epstein’s network and financial dealings, with Black naming Elon Musk, Sergey Brin, and Peter Thiel as associates.
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Billionaire Leon Black Subpoenaed After Dodging Epstein Questions
Billionaire investor Leon Black received two subpoenas on Friday from the House Oversight Committee after he refused to answer questions about nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) he allegedly signed with women linked to Jeffrey Epstein. During his closed-door testimony, Black denied abusing women, engaging in sex trafficking, or paying Epstein for access to women. Committee Chairman James Comer issued subpoenas compelling Black to appear for a deposition on July 16 and to produce the NDAs. Black left the interview after only one hour. The former CEO of Apollo Global Management departed his role in 2021 after an internal review found he paid Epstein $158 million for financial advice. In 2023, Black was accused of raping a 16-year-old at Epstein's Manhattan townhouse two decades earlier. Black defended his business ties with Epstein, saying he gave the convicted sex offender a second chance and knew 'Jekyll, not Hyde.'
The New RepublicBillionaire Leon Black Subpoenaed After Refusing Epstein NDA Questions
Billionaire investor Leon Black received two subpoenas from the House Oversight Committee on June 26, 2026, after refusing to answer questions about nondisclosure agreements he allegedly signed with women associated with Jeffrey Epstein. During his closed-door testimony, Black denied abusing women, being with minors, or engaging in sex trafficking. Committee Chairman James Comer issued subpoenas compelling Black to appear for a deposition on July 16 and produce the NDAs. Black left the interview after only one hour. The former Apollo Global Management CEO departed his role in 2021 after an internal review found he paid Epstein $158 million between 2012 and 2017. In 2023, Black was accused of raping a 16-year-old at Epstein's Manhattan townhouse two decades earlier. Black defended hiring Epstein after his 2008 conviction, saying he gave a convicted sex offender a second chance but wished he had not.
The New RepublicBillionaire Leon Black Subpoenaed After Dodging Epstein Questions in House Testimony
Billionaire investor Leon Black received two subpoenas from the House Oversight Committee on June 26, 2026, after refusing to answer questions about nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) he allegedly signed with women connected to Jeffrey Epstein. During a closed-door testimony, Black denied abusing women, engaging with minors, or being involved in sex trafficking. Committee Chairman James Comer issued subpoenas compelling Black to appear for a deposition on July 16 and to produce the NDAs. Black, the former CEO of Apollo Global Management, left the interview after only an hour. He stepped down in 2021 following an internal review revealing $158 million in payments to Epstein for financial advice between 2012 and 2017. In 2023, Black was accused of raping a 16-year-old at Epstein's Manhattan townhouse. Black defended his business relationship with Epstein, saying he gave a convicted sex offender a second chance.
The New RepublicHouse Committee Subpoenas Leon Black Over Epstein-Related Non-Disclosure Agreements
The House Oversight Committee subpoenaed billionaire Leon Black during a closed-door interview on Friday regarding his interactions with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Chairman James Comer issued two subpoenas after Black declined to answer questions about non-disclosure agreements (NDAs). One subpoena requires Black to produce copies of any NDAs he has signed, and the other demands he appear for a deposition on July 16. The committee seeks to determine whether Epstein was involved in drafting or funding NDAs between Black and women. Black's attorney, Susan Estrich, called the subpoenas a political stunt and reiterated that Epstein had no involvement with any NDAs. Black, former CEO of Apollo Global Management, paid Epstein over $150 million for tax and estate planning services. He told the committee he cut ties with Epstein after discovering he lied about fees. Black has denied awareness of Epstein's sexual misconduct and stated he never abused a woman. The subpoenaed deposition would legally compel Black to answer all questions, overriding any NDAs.
All Content from Business InsiderLeon Black Walks Out of Congressional Epstein Interview After Being Subpoenaed Over NDAs
Billionaire Leon Black, co-founder of Apollo Private Management, walked out of a voluntary transcribed interview with the House Oversight Committee on June 26, 2026, after being subpoenaed for refusing to answer questions about non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) with victims of Jeffrey Epstein. Black, who paid Epstein $170 million over five years for tax and estate planning, has long faced scrutiny over his ties to the deceased financier. The subpoena was issued by Committee Chair Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) during the interview, prompting Black to leave and his attorney Susan Eldrich to denounce the action as a 'planned political stunt.' Black's opening statement denied any wrongdoing, claiming Epstein deceived him about fees and that he had no knowledge of Epstein's abuse until the 2019 indictment. He is scheduled to testify again on July 16. The committee considers this a potentially 'groundbreaking deposition' due to Black's significant financial relationship with Epstein.
Forbes - BusinessLeon Black Refuses to Answer NDA Questions at Epstein Hearing; Subpoenaed by House Committee
Former Apollo Global Management CEO Leon Black refused to answer questions about non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) during a House Oversight Committee hearing regarding his ties to deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer (R-KY) subsequently issued two subpoenas for the NDAs and for a deposition on July 16. Black, in his prepared testimony, admitted Epstein solved a major estate problem for him but claimed he was unaware of Epstein's crimes and was duped out of over $60 million in fees. Black left the hearing after receiving the subpoenas. Democratic committee members characterized his behavior as arrogant and his testimony as intentionally evasive. Black's lawyer maintained he never abused women or engaged in sex trafficking.
US Top News and AnalysisCongress Subpoenas Billionaire Leon Black Mid-Interview for Refusing to Answer Epstein Questions
On June 26, 2026, House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) issued a subpoena to billionaire Leon Black during a voluntary interview, after Black refused to answer questions about non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) with victims of Jeffrey Epstein. Black, co-founder of Apollo Private Management, has long been linked to Epstein, having paid him approximately $170 million for tax and estate planning services. The payments have drawn scrutiny for being unusually high, and reports suggest Epstein may have used the money to pay women on Black's behalf, a claim Black's attorneys deny. In his opening statement to the committee, Black denied any knowledge of Epstein's abuse, stating he 'never abused a woman' and was not involved in sex trafficking. Despite denying wrongdoing, Black's refusal to discuss NDAs prompted the subpoena for a further deposition next month. Comer described Black's testimony as potentially the 'most groundbreaking' in the Epstein probe. A transcript of the closed-door interview is expected to be released soon.
Forbes - BusinessLeon Black says Epstein’s network included Elon Musk, Sergey Brin and Peter Thiel, while saying ‘I knew Jekyll. I didn’t know Hyde’
Leon Black, co-founder of Apollo Global Management, testified before the U.S. House Oversight Committee on June 26, 2026, denying any criminal conduct related to his association with deceased financier Jeffrey Epstein. During the hearing, Black claimed that Epstein's network included prominent tech billionaires Elon Musk, Sergey Brin, and Peter Thiel, though he did not provide evidence or detail their connections. Black characterized his relationship with Epstein using the Jekyll and Hyde analogy, asserting he only knew Epstein's legitimate persona. The testimony adds to ongoing investigations into Epstein's network and raises questions about the extent of his influence among wealthy elites.
Fortune | FORTUNEBillionaire Leon Black Denies Knowledge of Epstein's Crimes in Congressional Testimony
Billionaire Leon Black testified before the House Oversight Committee on June 26, 2026, denying any knowledge of Jeffrey Epstein's alleged abuse or any wrongdoing in their financial relationship. Black acknowledged paying Epstein $170 million over five years for tax and estate planning services, but claimed Epstein misled him about fees, inflating actual costs. Black stated 'I knew Jekyll. I didn't know Hyde,' asserting he never abused women, engaged in sex trafficking, or paid Epstein for access to women. He cited a Dechert investigation that concluded payments were for legitimate services. Black stepped down from Apollo in 2021 over the Epstein connection. The interview was held behind closed doors, with a transcript expected soon. Forbes estimates Black's net worth at $13 billion.
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