Billionaire investor Leon Black has failed to appear before a U.S. congressional committee investigating the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The lawsuit, filed in Washington federal court, declares the House Oversight Committee’s subpoenas “invalid” and claims they have no legitimate link to the committee’s legislative aim.
Black walked away from the committee’s hearing in June after lawmakers asked about nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) he allegedly signed. He denied any wrongdoing in his dealings with Epstein, stating he employed the financier as a wealth‑management adviser and paid him over $158 million for legitimate purposes.
The subpoenas required Black to disclose NDAs and provide an on‑camera deposition under oath following his resignation from the committee’s meeting.
His legal team argues that revealing the NDAs could “expose women who value their privacy, who have no known or public connection to Epstein, who bargained for confidentiality and have refused to release it.”
“This is no longer about finding the truth about Epstein. It is about trying to destroy Mr. Black,” attorney Susan Estrich said in a press release. “We were left with no choice but to file this lawsuit in response to an abuse of Congressional power.”
Members of the committee responded angrily, with Robert Garcia stating that Black’s refusal to testify now “defies two Congressional subpoenas.” Committee chair Joe Comer said Black’s testimony is crucial and that contempt of Congress could trigger a referral to the justice department.
Black has said his association with Epstein began before the financier’s criminal charges in 2019, when he was applying Elo with Emma epnte. He claimed he was unaware of Epstein’s “nefarious activity” until the charges were filed.
The lawsuit also touches on a lawsuit filed by former model Guzel Ganieva, who accused Black of abuse and had signed an NDA—although that case was dismissed in court because Ganieva received about $9 million after the agreement.
