Leon Black Sues Robert Garcia Over Epstein Testimony
The billionaire filed a defamation suit in New York Federal Court, claiming the House Oversight chair mischaracterized his role in the late financier's crimes.
By Yasmin Nasser ·
House Oversight Committee Democrats have been central to the congressional inquiry into Jeffrey Epstein, a probe that has now drawn legal fire from one of its primary targets. On Wednesday, billionaire Leon Black filed a defamation lawsuit against Rep. Robert Garcia of California in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
Black, a former private equity investor who maintained business ties with Epstein, alleges that Garcia knowingly and willfully lied about his involvement. The complaint specifically cites Garcia's earlier characterizations that Black was at the center of and directly involved in Epstein's criminal activities.
The legal dispute follows a contentious summer between the two figures. In September, Garcia issued a public statement in response to a separate lawsuit Black filed against the committee. At that time, Garcia claimed that Black funded Epstein's abuse and trafficking of women. Garcia also noted that multiple women have accused Black of sexual assault and that his refusal to cooperate with the investigation was unacceptable.
Black responded to the new lawsuit with a statement denying those core allegations. A spokesperson for Black wrote that he has never abused a woman, never been with an underage woman, and was never involved in sex trafficking. The statement further asserted that Black never paid Epstein for women.
The timeline of Black's conflict with Congress began when he left a voluntary closed-door interview with the committee early in the summer. Lawmakers subsequently issued subpoenas to compel his attendance, but Black did not appear for a later deposition. He then sued the committee to block the subpoenas for his appearance and related nondisclosure agreements, a case that remains in litigation.
In September, the Republican-led committee unanimously voted to hold Black in contempt of Congress for his refusal to comply with the subpoenas. The Justice Department confirmed on Sept. 16 that 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 it. No charges have been filed against Black to date.
Black stepped down from Apollo Global Management in 2021 after an independent review found he was not involved in Epstein's criminal activities. With Democrats scheduled to take control of the House in January, Garcia is expected to assume the chairmanship of the Oversight Committee.
