Epstein survivors press billionaire Leon Black to comply with House oversight subpoenas
More than a dozen abuse survivors called on private equity investor Leon Black to appear before Congress and produce all nondisclosure agreements in his possession ahead of his Thursday deposition.
What happened
Epstein survivors released a letter Wednesday calling on billionaire Leon Black to comply with House oversight committee subpoenas and appear for a Thursday deposition. Black, a New York private equity investor, paid Epstein tens of millions of dollars in fees for work described as tax and estate-planning services. The survivors specifically demanded Black produce all responsive nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) in his possession. House oversight chairman James Comer threatened contempt charges if Black fails to cooperate. Black had not confirmed his appearance as of Tuesday and has been accused of deliberately delaying the panel's inquiry. In a June statement to the committee, Black denied knowledge of Epstein's crimes until Epstein was charged in 2019, though he acknowledged awareness that Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to state charges relating to prostitution involving a minor.
Context
Black's financial relationship with Epstein and his use of NDAs are central to the congressional investigation into Epstein's network. The survivors' focus on NDAs suggests concern that such agreements may obscure details about Epstein's connections or activities. Rep. Thomas Massie separately called on the Department of Justice to investigate Epstein's circle, including Black, characterizing them as perpetrators. The inquiry occurs nearly a year after Trump signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act, with millions of Epstein files reportedly still unreleased. The investigation thus bears on what information about Epstein's associates remains hidden and whether nondisclosure agreements are being used to shield details relevant to understanding the scope and enablement of his crimes.