“Please call Leon Black.” This phrase appears more than 300 times within the Jeffrey Epstein investigative files recently released by the Justice Department, frequently appearing in emails sent by Epstein’s personal assistant. Black, a prominent Wall Street figure, maintained a business relationship with Epstein that spanned several decades.
In a 2014 email to Black, Epstein wrote, “Leon, as you are well aware, there is little I won’t do for you or at least try to do as a friend. And a great deal that I have already done (both known and some things that will need to remain unknown.)” Members of Congress are expected to challenge Black on these matters this Friday during his testimony before the House Oversight Committee, which is currently examining how the federal government managed the Epstein case. Lawmakers are attempting to map the financial network Epstein utilized to fund his sex trafficking activities, suspecting that Black may have played a significant role.
The former CEO of Apollo Global Management joins a list of high-profile individuals, including Bill and Hillary Clinton and Bill Gates, who have appeared before Congress to address their associations with Epstein. Susan Estrich, Black’s attorney, stated that her client requested an independent review of his dealings with the late financier. This investigation, conducted by a former federal prosecutor who examined over 60,000 documents and interviewed more than 20 people, concluded that Black’s payments to Epstein were exclusively for tax and estate planning services for his family office.
Estrich added that the investigation found no awareness on Black’s part regarding the criminal behavior that led to Epstein’s 2019 arrest. Black has consistently denied any wrongdoing or knowledge of criminal conduct, stating that his involvement with Epstein was a “horrible mistake” made in hindsight. Despite these denials, his reputation suffered; Black resigned from the company he co-founded in 2021 after it was revealed he had paid Epstein hundreds of millions for financial advice between 2012 and 2017, even after Epstein’s 2008 conviction for soliciting an underage girl.
The public release of millions of files has intensified scrutiny of Black’s financial history. His phone number appears more than 200 times in the documents, with over 100 entries noting that he returned calls from Epstein’s assistant, Lesley Groff. Groff previously testified that she viewed Black as a client who frequently visited Epstein. In 2023, Black reached a $62.5 million settlement with the U.S. Virgin Islands to resolve potential claims related to the sex trafficking operation. He was also previously linked to a lawsuit involving Bank of America, which paid $72.5 million to settle allegations from survivors regarding suspicious transfers, though Black did not testify in that case.
Senator Ron Wyden has conducted a years-long investigation into Black, alleging he may have used Epstein to facilitate hush-money payments. Black has also faced several personal accusations of sexual assault, all of which he has denied. While one case against him remains ongoing after a federal judge allowed it to proceed despite sanctions against the accuser, Black’s legal team continues to maintain that the claims are fraudulent and motivated by a desire for a financial windfall.
