Billionaire Who Gave Epstein More Than $150 Million Denies Paying for Women in House Oversight Testimony: ‘Baseless Speculation’

Leon Black, the former CEO of private equity firm Apollo, gave closed-door testimony to the House Oversight Committee on Friday where he lashed out at “ugly and vicious narratives” about him and his ties to convicted child sex predator Jeffrey Epstein.

Black met with the House Oversight Committee on Friday, but he was subpoenaed in the middle of his interview by House Oversight Chair James Comer (R-KY) after refusing to answer questions questions about NDAs. Black will now have to sit for another deposition next month.

“The NDAs are between him and other women,” Comer told reporters. “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 NDA? What was the reason for the NDAs?”

Black stepped down as CEO of Apollo in 2021 amid scrutiny about his relationship with Epstein. Black paid more than $150 million to Epstein over a three year span that came after Epstein’s conviction for soliciting prostitution and soliciting a minor for prostitution.

In his opening remarks, which were obtained by ABC News and others, Black said the money he paid Epstein was for “bona fide” services and not women or underage girls.

“I don’t understand why people — including members of this committee — would accept baseless speculation about me without regard to the facts and spin such ugly and vicious narratives that are demonstrably false,” Black told the House Oversight panel.

Black said on Friday he regrets ever meeting Epstein.

“I wish I had never met Epstein. I regret ever doing business with him. My association with him, the frivolous but destructive litigation, the endless rumor mill, have created a toxic environment for my wife and family, which I deeply regret,” he wrote in his opening remarks.

He directly denied ever abusing women. Epstein was facing sex trafficking charges in 2019 when he died of an apparent suicide. His longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell is currently serving 20 years for sex trafficking, which the Department of Justice said she did in coordination with Epstein.

Black said he was aware of Epstein’s 2008 conviction, but claimed he was convinced by Epstein that it was an “isolated incident resulting from a fake ID.”

“Five years after his conviction, I gave Epstein a second chance, as did many others,” he said. “I wish I had not.”

Watch above via CNN.

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