Billionaire Leon Black Storms Out of Epstein Hearing After Refusing NDA Questions as Congress Fires Back With Subpoenas

Leon Black stormed out of a closed-door congressional hearing into Jeffrey Epstein after declining to respond to inquiries about non-disclosure agreements, or NDAs, the committee said.

The billionaire financier's abrupt exit from The House of Representatives Oversight Committee session has shifted the focus from his long-running ties to Jeffrey Epstein to the secrecy deals investigators now believe could hold vital clues about the disgraced financier's network.

Black voluntarily testified on Epstein's relationships with wealthy and influential figures. His name is mentioned in files released by the US Department of Justice. However, when committee members began the inquiry about NDAs that may have been signed in connection with women Black had relationships with, he stormed out.

Committee leaders proceeded to approve subpoenas seeking copies of any relevant agreements after Black's departure and required him to return for an on-camera deposition under oath.

Congress Zeroes in on Confidential Agreements

The committee's latest move suggests investigators are no longer focused solely on financial ties between Black and Epstein. Instead, they are examining whether Epstein had any involvement in arranging or advising on confidentiality agreements connected to Black's personal life.

Lawmakers want to determine whether the agreements were drafted independently or whether Jeffrey Epstein played any part in negotiating or facilitating them.

NDAs or non-disclosure agreements are legal contracts commonly used to prevent parties from publicly discussing certain information, often following employment disputes or civil settlements. While NDAs themselves are lawful, investigators appear interested in understanding whether any such agreements intersected with Epstein's activities or relationships.

That line of questioning became the apparent breaking point during Black's interview with congressional investigators.

James Comer, the committee's Republican chairman, asked during the hearing, 'We want to know, was Jeffrey Epstein involved in the NDAs? Was he involved in writing? Was he involved in awarding funds to the women for the NDAs? What was the reason for the NDA? We want to know everything about the NDAs.'

Speaking to BBC, Black's attorneys verified that he had stormed out of the hearing after his legal team concluded their statements.

Long-Running Questions About the Epstein Relationship

For years, the Apollo Global Management co-founder has faced scrutiny over his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, who served as his adviser on tax and estate planning despite his criminal history. Black has recognised paying Epstein roughly $158 million (about £120 million) for professional services over several years, insisting those payments were legitimate compensation for financial advice.

During a Senate investigation, the payments Black made to Epstein were reviewed. They were also examined through an independent inquiry commissioned by Apollo Global Management after questions emerged about Black's association with Epstein. The review concluded that the payments were connected to tax and estate planning work.

In his appearance before Congress, Black maintained that he had been unaware of Epstein's criminal conduct until federal sex-trafficking charges became public in 2019. He also denied abusing women, engaging in sex trafficking, paying Epstein to introduce women, or being blackmailed by the financier.