Leon Black grilled by House panel on Epstein birthday book

Billionaire financier Leon Black’s voluntary interview with the House Oversight Committee lasted less than an hour before his lawyers ended it after lawmakers served him with subpoenas, according to a transcript released by the panel Friday.

The subpoenas sought copies of some nondisclosure agreements Black has signed and ordered him to appear for another interview. Susan Estrich, an attorney for Black, later called the move “a planned political stunt.”

Black, the founder of Apollo Global Management, told committee staff he had no involvement in and no knowledge of Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged abuse of women, sex with underage women or sex trafficking, beyond what he learned from Epstein’s 2008 plea deal for solicitation of prostitution from a minor. He also said he never paid Epstein for access to women.

Questions over NDAs and a past affair

The committee’s interest in Black’s nondisclosure agreements follows emails released by the panel showing Epstein weighed in on Black’s personal matters. Court records show Black had a six-year affair with Russian model Guzel Ganieva.

When Black was negotiating an NDA with Ganieva, Epstein gave advice in a Sept. 21, 2015, email, according to the records cited by the committee. Black told lawmakers he had discussed the affair with Epstein and referred to Ganieva’s alleged “blackmail and extortion.”

Ganieva later sued Black for rape and defamation after signing the NDA. Her lawsuit denied Black’s claim that she had extorted him, and her lawyers wrote that Black had never been “extorted by Ms. Ganieva.” The suit was unsuccessful.

Black denied Epstein took part in the NDA talks and told the committee Epstein did not know about any other nondisclosure agreements he had signed. He said the agreements’ terms prevented him from discussing them on the record unless he was under subpoena.

The birthday book comes up

Committee staff also pressed Black about his contribution to a book compiled by Ghislaine Maxwell for Epstein’s 50th birthday. The book included messages, drawings and letters from people in Epstein’s circle, many referring to his relationships with women.

Black’s poem included the line: “Blond, red, or brunette spread out geographically, with this net of fish Jeff’s now the old man and the sea.” Asked to explain it, Black testified that Epstein “seemed to know women all over the world,” traveled frequently and “enjoyed the company of good-looking women.”

Although Black described Epstein in the birthday book as his “best friend” and signed off with “Love and kisses, Leon,” he told the committee the wording overstated their relationship. “We were never best friends,” Black said, while acknowledging he was friendly with Epstein because of his contacts and regarded him as a smart professional adviser.

Payments, introductions and a long break

Black testified that a mutual friend introduced him to Epstein in the 1990s and that he continued the association because Epstein connected him with influential people. Black said Epstein introduced him to figures including Elon Musk, Bill Gates and former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak.

A 2021 report commissioned by Apollo found Black paid Epstein about $158 million for tax and estate planning services and concluded the work was legitimate. In the committee interview, Black defended the payments but said Epstein misled him into thinking the fees were tax-deductible, causing him to underestimate the cost.

Black said he initially expected to pay about $95 million and estimated Epstein’s advice saved him between $1 billion and $2 billion. In 2023, Black paid the U.S. Virgin Islands $62.5 million to settle litigation over his financial support for Epstein.

Black told the committee he appointed Epstein to the board of his family foundation in 1997 and removed him after Epstein’s 2008 arrest and conviction. Before that, Black said, he saw Epstein about every three to four weeks and often attended gatherings at Epstein’s townhouse.

Black said he fully cut ties with Epstein in 2018, citing Epstein’s pursuit of more money for professional services, alleged misrepresentations and failure to repay most of a $30 million loan. Black is scheduled to return to the committee under subpoena in September.

This story draws on original reporting from CBS News.