Billionaire Leon Black walks out of Epstein investigation hearing

Billionaire investor Leon Black withdrew from a closed-door hearing with a congressional committee investigating sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after he refused to answer questions about non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), lawmakers said.

Black, whose name was mentioned in the Epstein files released by the Ministry of Justice, testified voluntarily. But the panel chairman said he had left when asked about confidentiality agreements he might have signed.

The House Oversight Committee issued two subpoenas for Black to share confidentiality agreements and testify under oath on camera.

Black left Apollo Global Management, which he co-founded, in 2021 amid scrutiny over his Epstein ties. He denies wrongdoing.

“We want to know, was Jeffrey Epstein involved in confidentiality agreements?” James Comer, the committee’s Republican chairman, said Friday.

“Was he involved in the writing? Was he involved in funding women for NDAs? What was the reason for the NDA? We want to know everything about NDAs.”

Non-disclosure agreements, commonly referred to as NDAs, are contracts in which both parties agree to keep information confidential, usually as part of an agreement or employment contract.

Black’s lawyers confirmed to the BBC that he left after his legal team “made their final comments”.

According to the BBC’s media partner CBS News, the private equity mogul hired Epstein as an asset management consultant and allegedly talked to him about personal matters, including extramarital affairs sparked by NDAs.

At his brief hearing on Friday, Black reportedly told the committee he paid $158 million (£120 million) to Epstein for legitimate purposes over the course of their years-long relationship.

That amount was the subject of a Senate investigation into whether Black deliberately overpaid Epstein by disguising the money paid for personal reasons under the guise of financial services.

Black’s lawyers pointed out that an internal investigation conducted by the Dechert law firm at Apollo concluded that the fees Black paid to Epstein were for legitimate tax advice.

Like many people who spoke to the committee investigating Epstein’s connections to the rich and powerful, Black said the disgraced financier had cheated on him.

“I knew Jekyll. I didn’t know Hyde,” he said in his opening statement, a copy of which his lawyer shared with the BBC.

Black continued: “Looking back, I now know, as the whole world knows, that Epstein was involved in horrific, disgusting activities. I feel terrible for Epstein’s victims.”

“I want to make it clear that I was unaware of this nefarious activity until Epstein was charged with smuggling in July 2019.”

Black has denied molesting a woman, having sex with an underage woman, engaging in sex trafficking, paying Epstein for access to women, or being blackmailed by him.

Black’s attorney, Susan Estrich, called the subpoenas a “planned political demonstration.”

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According to court records, Black had a six-year relationship with former Russian model Guzel Ganieva, which resulted in harassment allegations.

According to Ganieva’s lawsuit against Black, which was later dismissed, she drafted a confidentiality agreement in 2015 to ensure Black’s silence.

According to files released by the US justice department, Epstein gave Black advice, including suggesting in an email to his assistant that he recruit former law enforcement officials to approach Ganieva.

“Choose method of message delivery, my choice. – two highly respected former —- fill in the blank, immigration, Scotland Yard sfo . . . who can knock on his door and offer terms,” ​​Epstein wrote.

Black’s attorney, Estrich, dismissed Ganieva’s accusation as “manifestly false.” Black himself has previously said he was the victim of extortion.

A judge ultimately dismissed Ganieva’s lawsuit, citing the NDA she signed and the nearly $9 million she received in the years after entering into the agreement.

Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, said in a statement that Black “quickly walked away” from the transcript of Friday’s interview when asked about confidentiality agreements.

“Leon Black had a chance to do the right thing and help us bring justice to survivors,” Garcia said.

“Instead, he fled the room when pressed for information about his confidentiality agreements with women and his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein survivors.”

Garcia added that Black “will be held accountable if he does not comply with our investigation.”