Billionaire Leon Black Files $1 Billion Defamation Suit Against Oversight Committee Chairman
The lawsuit, filed in New York federal court, targets remarks made by Rep. Robert Garcia regarding Black's role in the Jeffrey Epstein investigation.
By Pedro Tanaka ·
Billionaire Leon Black filed a defamation lawsuit on Wednesday against Rep. Robert Garcia, the California Democrat who serves as the senior member of the House Oversight Committee.
The suit, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, seeks $1 billion in damages. Black alleges that Garcia knowingly and willfully lied about him. The complaint cites specific statements in which Garcia described Black as being at the center of and directly involved in Epstein's crimes.
Garcia currently leads the committee's investigation into the late financier. Black has been the subject of subpoenas from this Republican-led body. In September, committee members voted unanimously to hold Black in contempt after he refused to comply with those orders. No criminal charges have been filed against Black to date.
A spokesperson for Black issued a statement on Wednesday addressing the new litigation. The representative wrote that Black has never abused a woman, never been with an underage woman, and never been involved in sex trafficking. The statement further claimed that Black never paid Epstein for women.
Garcia has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding this specific suit. In September, he issued a statement in response to a separate lawsuit Black filed against the committee. At that time, Garcia said Black funded Epstein's abuse and trafficking of women. He also noted that multiple women have accused Black of sexual assault and called his connections to Epstein unacceptable.
Black stepped down from Apollo Global Management in 2021 following an independent review of his ties to Epstein. That review found that Black was not involved in Epstein's criminal activities. Over the summer, Black participated in a voluntary, closed-door transcribed interview with the Oversight Committee but departed before the session concluded. Lawmakers later issued subpoenas to compel further answers. Black did not appear for a subsequent deposition and sued to block the subpoenas. The Justice Department reviewed the contempt referral on September 16 and stated it would not hesitate to pursue additional cases where evidence supports them.
With Democrats scheduled to assume control of the House in January, Garcia is positioned to become the new chair of the Oversight Committee.
