Contempt referral to the Justice Department

The US House of Representatives approved a resolution on Wednesday to hold billionaire financier Leon Black in criminal contempt of Congress. The decision refers the Apollo Global Management co-founder to the Justice Department, which holds the authority to prosecute the misdemeanor offense. Under federal law, contempt of Congress carries potential penalties of up to one year in prison and a maximum fine of $100,000. House lawmakers adopted the measure unanimously following a recommendation from the House Oversight Committee, concluding legislative business before leaving Washington for a seven-week district work period. The Justice Department confirmed that the US Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia will review the referral file to determine whether to file criminal charges.

Subpoena disputes and committee walkout

The congressional action follows a monthslong inquiry into Black's financial relationship with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, whom Black paid $158 million between 2012 and 2017 for tax and estate planning. Black stepped down from his executive role at Apollo in 2021 after an external law firm reviewed those payments. He appeared voluntarily for a closed-door interview with the House Oversight Committee on June 26, 2026, where he testified that he never abused women, engaged in sex trafficking, or had relations with minors. However, committee members stated that Black walked out of the session when asked about nondisclosure agreements signed with women linked to Epstein. He subsequently refused to provide those agreements or appear for a scheduled deposition.

“I knew Jekyll. I didn't know Hyde.”

Legal challenges in federal court

Black filed a lawsuit against the House Oversight Committee in the US District Court for the District of Columbia in September to invalidate the congressional subpoenas. His complaint argues that the committee exceeded its constitutional authority by demanding personal documents that bear no legitimate connection to legislative purposes. Alongside the lawsuit, Black's attorneys requested that the Office of Congressional Conduct investigate Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, asserting that the Kentucky Republican abandoned the search for factual findings. Defense attorneys Susan Estrich and Aaron Cutler publicly condemned the House vote as politically motivated, retaliatory, and an abomination.

“No one is above the law. Mr. Black will be treated the same as anyone else in this investigation, and his actions have consequences.”

Committee response and next procedural steps

House Oversight Committee leaders rejected Black's legal arguments and pledged to continue examining Epstein's financial network. Representative Robert Garcia, the ranking Democrat on the panel, described the contempt referral as an essential step toward justice and accountability for survivors. Black's legal team maintained that their client cooperated fully by submitting the only confidentiality agreement Epstein knew about, claiming the committee continues to demand nonexistent records. Epstein died by suicide in a New York jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges, following an earlier 2008 conviction in Florida for soliciting prostitution. The referral now awaits formal review by federal prosecutors.