Appearing before the House Oversight Committee, Black said Epstein deceived him, defended $158 million in payments as legitimate advisory fees and rejected allegations that he paid for access to women.
Leon Black told the House Oversight Committee that Jeffrey Epstein deceived him during a yearslong relationship in which Black paid him $158 million, while denying any criminal wrongdoing or involvement in sex trafficking. Black, the co-founder and former chief executive of Apollo Global Management, said he did not learn of Epstein’s “nefarious activity” until 2019 and described the payments from 2012 to 2017 as compensation for legitimate tax, estate-planning and related services tied in part to Epstein’s “unrivaled network of relationships.” He rejected allegations that Epstein acted as a middleman to pay women on his behalf, calling them “rank speculation,” and said he had never abused a woman, been with an underage woman, paid Epstein for access to women, engaged in sex trafficking or been blackmailed by Epstein. The deposition is part of the committee’s broader investigation into Epstein’s network of wealth and influence.