Billionaire Leon Black abruptly walks out of Epstein investigation hearing

Billionaire financier Leon Black’s closed-door testimony before the House Oversight Committee ended abruptly on Friday when he walked out of the hearing with the congressional committee investigating late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after refusing to submit to questions on confidentiality agreements.

The panel chairman said that Black whose name comes up in the Epstein files released by the justice department, testified of his own accord. The House of Representatives Oversight Committee delivered two court orders for Black to share NDAs and give an on camera deposition under oath. The Black , who left Apollo Global Management which he co-founded in 2021 faced intense investigation.

Nondisclosure agreements-primarily called NDAs are agreements where both parties agree to keep information private, often as part of a settlement or employment agreement.

On Friday, during his appearance, Black informed the committee that he had paid $158 million for advisory services over the course of their year-long association. This specific amount was the subject of a Senate analysis into whether Black had intentionally overpaid Epstein, misappropriating funds entrusted to him for personal reasons or banking services.

Black said the white-collar criminal had deceived him just as he had deceived many others who have spoken to the committee as it investigates Epstein’s connections to wealthy people.

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

“With the benefit of hindsight, I now know, as does the world, that Epstein was engaged in horrific, sordid activities. I feel terrible for Epstein's victims.”

“I want to state clearly that I did not know about this nefarious activity until Epstein was charged with trafficking in July 2019,” Black continued.

In line with a lawsuit filed by Guzel Ganieva against Leon Black, he prepared a proprietary information agreement in 2015 to secure her silence.

According to files released by the US Justice Department, Epstein offered Black advice, proposing in an email to his assistant that Black hire former law enforcement officers to approach Ganieva. Consequently, the House Oversight Committee's top Democrat, Robert Gracia released a statement saying that Black’s interview had abruptly concluded on Friday when he was asked about NDAs.

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

“ Instead he ran out of the room when he was pressed for information about his non-disclosure agreements and his relationship with survivors of Jefferey Epstein.”

Black had contested the allegations in connection with Epstein, but at least three women have filed lawsuits accusing him of abusing them in direct connection with Epstein. He has maintained his denial, and only one lawsuit remains pending, after one was dismissed and the plaintiff in another case settled.

The billionaire barely survived being ousted by his company’s board earlier this year; however Epstein’s accusers settled a lawsuit with Bank of America about the institution's reported funding of Epstein.

In addition, the lawsuit mentioned payments made to Epstein that the plaintiffs argued should have been identified as suspicious.