The House on Wednesday moved to hold billionaire investor Leon Black in contempt of Congress after he refused to comply with a subpoena in the chamber's investigation into the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. The referral, approved by unanimous consent, now goes to the Justice Department, which will decide whether to pursue criminal charges.
The action came a day after the House Oversight Committee voted unanimously to recommend contempt, following Black's failure to appear for a deposition. Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) advanced the measure on the floor, and no lawmaker objected, though it did not receive a formal roll-call vote.
“No one is above the law,” Comer said in a statement. “Leon Black defied two subpoenas, and the U.S. House of Representatives acted swiftly to find him in contempt of Congress. We will continue to seek transparency for the American people and justice for survivors in our investigation of the federal government's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell criminal cases.”
Lawmakers are seeking to question Black about payments he made to Epstein—reportedly totaling millions over several years. Black has maintained he had no knowledge of Epstein's abuse and that the payments were for legitimate business purposes, such as tax and estate planning.
Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), the panel's top Democrat, framed the contempt vote as a step toward accountability. “This vote is an important step towards justice and accountability,” he said. “Leon Black has continued to defy two congressional subpoenas and we need to know why he gave Jeffrey Epstein $180 million dollars. We will continue to center the survivors in our fight to hold those responsible for these horrific crimes. We are just getting started.”
Black's legal troubles with the committee escalated over the past two months. He walked out of a voluntary interview in February, and earlier this month he sued the committee on the day he was scheduled to appear for a deposition. His lawsuit argues the subpoenas are legally unenforceable and improperly demand private information, including details that could expose women who have no connection to Epstein and who have confidentiality agreements.
“Additionally, the subpoenas would also 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, and who have no ability to protect themselves and their privacy before the Committee,” the complaint states.
Black's attorneys, Susan Estrich and Aaron Cutler, criticized the House's swift action, arguing it ignored both the pending litigation and an ethics complaint against Comer. “This is an outrageous action that ignores the facts and the truth about Mr. Black,” they said in a statement. “The House of Representatives has rushed through every stage of this inquiry.”
The attorneys reiterated Black's denial of any wrongdoing, stating he “never abused a woman,” “never was with an underage woman,” and “never engaged in sex trafficking.” They added that Black “had no knowledge of any of Epstein's heinous conduct.”
The contempt referral is a significant escalation in the House's Epstein investigation, which has also included efforts to release Epstein-related files. Lawmakers have been pressing for transparency and accountability in the federal government's handling of the Epstein and Maxwell cases. The move comes amid broader political tensions over the probe, as seen in recent legislative efforts to force disclosure of Epstein records.
Black, the co-founder of Apollo Global Management, is one of several high-profile figures whose ties to Epstein have drawn scrutiny. The Justice Department's decision on whether to prosecute Black will be closely watched, as it could set a precedent for how Congress enforces subpoenas in high-stakes investigations.
