Billionaire Leon Black sues US congressional panel over Epstein subpoena

What the report says

Billionaire Leon Black, the cofounder and former chief executive of Apollo Global Management, has sued a U.S. House committee over subpoenas tied to its investigation of Jeffrey Epstein and his wider network. According to Al Jazeera, the lawsuit was filed on Thursday after Black missed a scheduled deposition before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee in Washington, D.C.

The panel says Black was issued two subpoenas after a voluntary June interview, including one ordering him to provide documents about his relationship with Epstein and another requiring him to return for questioning. Black’s lawyer said the committee’s work amounts to an overreach and a “fishing expedition,” while Representative Robert Garcia, the committee’s top Democrat, urged Congress to move toward contempt proceedings. Al Jazeera noted that contempt of Congress would require action by the full House before a referral could go to federal prosecutors.

The dispute is part of a broader congressional push to examine how Epstein maintained ties with prominent business and political figures. Black is among several high-profile names who have appeared in Justice Department Epstein files released in recent months. The committee’s inquiry is separate from the Justice Department’s own investigation.

More broadly, the Epstein case continues to drive pressure for greater disclosure of federal records and scrutiny of people linked to the disgraced financier. Al Jazeera reported that lawmakers from both parties have criticized the Justice Department for not releasing all relevant material.