Leon Black Faces Scrutiny Over Epstein Payments During Testimony

WHO:

Fast Company - Leon Black, billionaire investor and co-founder of Apollo Global Management, appeared before the House Oversight Committee.

Fast Company - Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., is the House committee chairman.

Fast Company - Other high-profile figures summoned include former Democratic President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, former Attorney General Pam Bondi, and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.

Fast Company - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., referred findings from an investigation into Black to the House committee.

WHAT:

Fast Company - Black stated, “I gave Epstein a second chance, as did many others. I wish I had not.”

Fast Company - Black is the 16th person to appear before the House Oversight Committee as part of their investigation into Epstein.

Fast Company - Black is mentioned repeatedly in files released by the Department of Justice related to the Epstein investigation, including a poem attributed to him in birthday messages to Epstein.

Fast Company - Black claimed Epstein's network included influential figures such as SpaceX founder Elon Musk, Google co-founder Sergey Brin, and Peter Thiel, co-founder of PayPal and Palantir.

Fast Company - Black maintained that he was deceived by Epstein during their yearslong relationship.

Fast Company - Black's testimony was described as potentially the most “groundbreaking” yet by Rep. James Comer.

Fast Company - Black claimed he paid Epstein for “bona fide tax, estate planning and other related services” despite the payments occurring after Epstein's 2008 guilty plea for soliciting prostitution from a minor.

Fast Company - Black described the allegations against him as “rank speculation.”

Fast Company - Black stated, “I knew Jekyll. I didn’t know Hyde,” during his testimony.

Fast Company - Black denied all allegations of wrongdoing, stating, “I have never abused a woman. I have never been with an underage woman. I have never engaged in sex trafficking. I have never paid Epstein for access to women. I was never blackmailed by Epstein.”

NY Post - Black's net worth is estimated at $13.5 billion according to Forbes.

Fast Company - Black stated, “I gave Epstein a second chance, as did many others. I wish I had not.”

Fast Company - Black is the co-founder and former chief executive of Apollo Global Management.

Fast Company - Black maintained that he was not aware of Epstein's “nefarious activity” until 2019.

Fast Company - Black described Epstein as having an "unrivaled network of relationships" with influential figures.

Fast Company - Black claimed Epstein's network included influential figures such as SpaceX founder Elon Musk, Google co-founder Sergey Brin, and Peter Thiel, co-founder of PayPal and Palantir.

Fast Company - Black stated, “This could be a pretty significant deposition as we try to get answers,” regarding the importance of his testimony.

Fast Company - Black's testimony was described as potentially the most “groundbreaking” yet by Rep. James Comer.

Fast Company - Black stated, “I knew Jekyll. I didn’t know Hyde,” during his testimony.

Fast Company - Black claimed that Epstein acted as a middleman for him to pay women on his behalf, according to testimony from Epstein’s former accountant, Richard Kahn.

Fast Company - Black described the allegations against him as “rank speculation.”

Fast Company - Black is the 16th person to appear before the House Oversight Committee as part of their investigation into Epstein.

Fast Company - Rep. James Comer described Black's deposition as potentially the most “groundbreaking” yet in the investigation.

Fast Company - Black stated, “I gave Epstein a second chance, as did many others. I wish I had not.”

Fast Company - Black is mentioned repeatedly in files released by the Department of Justice related to the Epstein investigation, including a poem attributed to him in birthday messages to Epstein.

Fast Company - Black claimed Epstein's network included influential figures such as SpaceX founder Elon Musk, Google co-founder Sergey Brin, and Peter Thiel, co-founder of PayPal and Palantir.

Fast Company - Democrats on the House committee have pushed for testimony from Trump, while Republicans have stated they have not found evidence of wrongdoing by him.

Fast Company - Comer has been in contact with the Justice Department regarding acting Attorney General Todd Blanche coming in for questioning soon.

Fast Company - Leon Black paid Jeffrey Epstein $158 million from 2012 to 2017.

Fast Company - Black stated he was unaware of Epstein's "nefarious activity" until 2019.

Fast Company - Black described Epstein as having an "unrivaled network of relationships" with influential figures.

NY Post - Black's net worth is estimated at $13.5 billion according to Forbes.

WHERE:

Fast Company - The testimony took place before the House Oversight Committee.

WHEN:

Fast Company - Epstein was indicted in July 2019 on federal charges of sex trafficking of minors.

Fast Company - A 2021 review commissioned by Apollo found the payments to Epstein occurred from 2012 to 2017.

Fast Company - Black's testimony occurred on a Friday.

WHY:

Fast Company - The House Oversight Committee is investigating the web of wealth and influence around Epstein.

Fast Company - Black claimed he paid Epstein for "bona fide tax, estate planning and other related services."

HOW:

NBC News - Black cut short his testimony after being issued two subpoenas by Chairman James Comer for refusing to answer some questions about Epstein.

NBC News - Leon Black cut short his testimony after being issued two subpoenas by Chairman James Comer.

ABC News - House Oversight Chair James Comer issued two subpoenas to Black after he refused to answer some questions about Epstein.

Fast Company - Black maintained that he was deceived by Epstein during their yearslong relationship.

(UPDATED June 27, 2026 13:20 UTC)

In a significant development, billionaire investor and CEO Black testified before the House Oversight Committee regarding his past relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, stating, “I gave Epstein a second chance, as did many others. I wish I had not.” During his testimony, Black denied all allegations of wrongdoing and described the claims against him as “rank speculation,” while also asserting that he was deceived by Epstein and had paid for legitimate services despite the payments occurring after Epstein's 2008 guilty plea. Black's testimony has been characterized as potentially groundbreaking, with Representative James Comer highlighting its importance in the ongoing investigation into Epstein's network, which he claimed included influential figures like Elon Musk and Sergey Brin.

(UPDATED June 27, 2026 11:22 UTC)

In a recent interview with Fast Company, Black, the co-founder and former chief executive of Apollo Global Management, expressed regret for giving Epstein a second chance, stating, “I wish I had not.” He maintained that he was unaware of Epstein's “nefarious activity” until 2019 and described Epstein as having an "unrivaled network of relationships" with influential figures, including Elon Musk, Sergey Brin, and Peter Thiel. Additionally, Black denied all allegations of wrongdoing, asserting, “I have never abused a woman. I have never been with an underage woman. I have never engaged in sex trafficking,” and he cut short his testimony after being issued two subpoenas by Chairman James Comer for refusing to answer certain questions about Epstein.

(UPDATED June 27, 2026 07:50 UTC)

In a significant development, Black's testimony is being described as potentially groundbreaking by Rep. James Comer, who emphasized its importance in uncovering answers related to the case. Black claimed he paid Epstein for legitimate services, despite those payments occurring after Epstein's 2008 guilty plea for soliciting prostitution from a minor. However, his testimony was cut short when he received two subpoenas from Chairman Comer after refusing to answer certain questions about Epstein.

(UPDATED June 27, 2026 04:19 UTC)

Leon Black recently testified, stating, “I knew Jekyll. I didn’t know Hyde,” while addressing allegations against him, which he described as “rank speculation.” During his testimony, Black claimed that Jeffrey Epstein acted as a middleman for him to pay women on his behalf, according to Epstein’s former accountant, Richard Kahn. However, Black's testimony was cut short after he received two subpoenas from Chairman James Comer.

(UPDATED June 27, 2026 01:35 UTC)

Black has become the 16th individual to testify before the House Oversight Committee in their ongoing investigation into Epstein, with Chair James Comer describing his deposition as potentially the most groundbreaking yet. During his testimony, Black expressed regret for giving Epstein a second chance, a sentiment echoed by many, and he also claimed that Epstein's network included high-profile figures like Elon Musk and Sergey Brin. In a related development, Comer has issued two subpoenas to Black after he declined to answer certain questions, and he has been in contact with the Justice Department about bringing in acting Attorney General Todd Blanche for questioning soon.

(UPDATED June 26, 2026 19:35 UTC)

Billionaire investor Leon Black appeared before the House Oversight Committee, where he faced questions regarding his financial dealings with Jeffrey Epstein, to whom he paid $158 million between 2012 and 2017. Black, who has a net worth of $13.5 billion, denied any wrongdoing and stated he was unaware of Epstein's illegal activities until 2019, asserting that he never engaged in sex trafficking or paid Epstein for access to women. The committee, chaired by Rep. James Comer, is investigating the connections between Epstein and various influential figures, including former Presidents Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton, as well as Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.