Key facts
- Billionaire Leon Black will testify before the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.
- The testimony concerns Black's financial ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
- Epstein provided financial services to Black between 2012 and 2017.
- Black paid Epstein approximately $170 million for tax and estate planning services.
- Black has denied all allegations of sexual abuse and wrongdoing.
- A review found no evidence of Black's involvement in Epstein's criminal activities.
Billionaire financier Leon Black is scheduled to appear before the House Committee on Oversight and Reform on Friday for a closed-door interview as part of its investigation into Jeffrey Epstein.
Black, the former CEO of Apollo Global Management, has faced scrutiny for years over his past ties to Epstein. An independent review commissioned by Apollo found that Epstein provided financial services to Black between 2012 and 2017, during which Black paid Epstein approximately $170 million in fees for tax and estate planning. Black has consistently denied any wrongdoing and any knowledge of Epstein's criminal activities.
Recent disclosures from the Department of Justice, including a document titled “PROMINENT NAMES,” have brought renewed attention to Black's connection with Epstein. While the document listed allegations against Black, it did not indicate that investigators verified them. Black has denied these allegations, and his legal team has stated that subsequent events have confirmed his account was truthful.
Separately, Black settled a civil investigation with the US Virgin Islands for $62.5 million, with the agreement stipulating it should not be cited as evidence of wrongdoing. The New York Times also reported that Epstein introduced Black to women and advised him on payments to them, which Black's lawyers stated were embellished by Epstein.
The Dechert LLP review, hired by Apollo, found no evidence that Black or his family office were involved in Epstein's criminal activities, nor that Epstein introduced Black to underage women. However, the review did confirm that Black and others at Apollo were aware of Epstein's 2008 conviction for solicitation of prostitution.
Senator Ron Wyden has alleged that Epstein may have served as a 'fixer' for payments made by Black to silence women, calling Black a 'major source of funding for Epstein’s criminal network.' Black's representatives have rejected these claims as 'outrageous and false.'