US House votes to hold billionaire Epstein associate Leon Black in contempt

Leon Black, the billionaire co‑founder of private‑equity firm Apollo Global Management, was held in contempt by the U.S. House of Representatives after refusing to comply with a subpoena from the House Oversight Committee. The committee had ordered Black to appear for an on‑camera deposition and to produce documents, including nondisclosure agreements, related to his past business relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Black walked out of a voluntary testimony session in June and subsequently declined to provide the requested materials, prompting the committee, led by Chairman James Comer, to pass a contempt resolution by unanimous consent. The measure sends the case to the Justice Department, which will decide whether to pursue criminal charges against Black.

The contempt vote underscores the ongoing congressional effort to uncover the extent of Epstein’s network and to hold accountable those who may have facilitated or concealed his activities. Black’s lawyers have challenged the summons in court, arguing that the committee’s actions are unlawful and that an ethics complaint against Comer further complicates the matter. They described the contempt action as “outrageous” and claimed it ignores the facts of the case. Black, who left Apollo in 2021 amid scrutiny over his ties to Epstein, maintains that he hired Epstein solely as a wealth‑management adviser, paid the financier $158 million for legitimate services, and was unaware of Epstein’s criminal conduct until the latter’s 2019 indictment.

Democratic committee member Rep. Robert Garcia hailed the vote as a step toward “justice and accountability,” emphasizing the need to center survivors of Epstein’s crimes. Chairman Comer reiterated that no one is above the law and pledged continued pursuit of transparency. The Justice Department’s forthcoming decision will determine whether Black faces criminal prosecution, while the broader investigation continues to probe the financial and legal mechanisms that may have shielded Epstein’s activities.

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