House Oversight Committee recommends holding Leon Black in contempt in Epstein probe

Updated on: September 15, 2026 / 6:10 PM EDT / CBS News

Washington — The House Oversight Committee voted 41-0 to recommend holding billionaire investor Leon Black in contempt of Congress for defying subpoenas as part of its investigation into the late Jeffrey Epstein.

Black, a former business associate of the convicted sex offender, did not comply with subpoenas to appear before the committee on Sept. 3 and produce nondisclosure agreements. Black is challenging the subpoenas in court, and his attorneys called the move to hold him in contempt "a complete abomination."

The contempt resolution now advances to the full House for a vote on whether to recommend the matter to the Justice Department for possible prosecution. Any charging decisions are up to the Justice Department.

It's unclear when the House plans to vote on the matter. It's the House's last week in session until after Election Day.

GOP Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, the committee's chairman, issued the subpoenas after Black, the co-founder of Apollo Global Management, abruptly left a closed-door, voluntary transcribed interview with the panel in June after refusing to answer questions about nondisclosure agreements.

Black employed Epstein as a wealth management adviser, paying him large sums…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/entertainment/