Epstein Fallout: Leon Black Sues House Oversight Leader

Leon Black filed a defamation lawsuit in the Southern District of New York on Wednesday against Rep. Robert Garcia, the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee. Black, a former private equity investor who maintained a business relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, accuses Garcia of knowingly and willfully lying about him. The suit specifically cites Garcia's comments that Black was "at the center" and "directly involved" in Epstein's criminal activities.

Garcia has led Democratic scrutiny of Epstein. He previously stated that Black funded the abuse and trafficking of women and noted that multiple women have accused Black of sexual assault. Garcia added that Black's connections to Epstein and his refusal to cooperate were unacceptable. A spokesperson for Garcia did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the new filing.

Black's team issued a statement on Wednesday to address the claims. They wrote that Black has never abused a woman, has never been with an underage woman, and has never been involved with sex trafficking. The spokesperson also stated that Black never paid Epstein for women.

The legal dispute follows a tense confrontation between Black and the committee. In September, the Republican-led Oversight Committee unanimously voted to hold Black in contempt of Congress. He refused to comply with subpoenas to answer questions about his ties to Epstein. Black had sat for a voluntary, closed-door interview over the summer but left before the session concluded. He later sued the committee to block subpoenas for his deposition and nondisclosure agreements related to Epstein. That case remains in litigation.

The Justice Department reviewed the contempt referral on Sept. 16. A statement from the office said the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia would review the referral carefully and would not hesitate to pursue additional cases where evidence supports them. No charges have been filed against Black as of this week.

Black stepped down from Apollo Global Management in 2021 after an independent review of his ties to Epstein. The review found that Black was not involved in Epstein's criminal activities, a finding Black has consistently maintained. With Democrats set to take control of the House in January, Garcia is poised to become the new chair of the Oversight Committee.