Congress Escalates Conflict with Leon Black Over Non-Disclosure Agreements

Congress has initiated a new phase in its conflict with billionaire Leon Black. On Wednesday, the House of Representatives voted to hold Black, an associate of Jeffrey Epstein and former CEO of Apollo Global Management, in criminal contempt of Congress. This action was taken because Black refused to obey a subpoena that demanded he produce all his non-disclosure agreements, including any that mention Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell. Simultaneously, the chair of the congressional committee investigating Epstein, which is seeking NDAs from Black, introduced a bill that would permit sexual abuse victims to violate non-disclosure agreements. James Comer, who chairs the House Oversight Committee, stated that the proposed legislation would guarantee that survivors of sexual abuse and others with relevant information could speak openly about their experiences. In the course of our investigation, we have discovered how influential individuals have used non-disclosure agreements to suppress victims of sexual abuse, Comer, a Republican from Kentucky, commented in a Wednesday statement. Themoneytimes reported earlier this year that several of Epstein’s accusers have entered into confidential settlements with associates of Epstein, whom they also accused of misconduct, based on information from three individuals familiar with these settlements. These settlements contain non-disclosure agreements, according to the sources. One source informed Themoneytimes that they were aware of settlements involving four of Epstein’s friends, who faced sexual misconduct allegations from over 20 women collectively. In June, the House Oversight Committee served Black with two subpoenas after he declined to answer questions regarding NDAs during a closed-door session about his dealings with Epstein. Black, who had provided more than $150 million to Epstein for financial services as he claimed, exited the voluntary interview. Earlier this month, Black filed a lawsuit against the committee instead of adhering to the subpoenas. One subpoena called for the submission of NDAs, while the other mandated his testimony under oath in a deposition. Black has claimed ignorance regarding Epstein’s sexual abuse of women. His lawsuit alleges that the committee lacked a legitimate legislative purpose for issuing such a broad and invasive subpoena to a private individual. Epstein passed away in 2019 while facing federal sex-trafficking charges. Maxwell received a 20-year prison sentence following a Manhattan jury’s conviction in 2021 for trafficking minors to Epstein for sexual purposes. Should the bill be enacted, Comer’s proposed legislation, named the Survivor’s Voice Protection Act, would invalidate non-disclosure clauses that prevent sexual abuse victims from discussing their experiences or that obstruct others from revealing related facts. Additionally, the law would establish a legal obligation to report suspected sexual grooming of minors to authorities. Members of the House Oversight Committee from the Democratic party have not yet indicated their stance on the proposed NDA legislation. The House’s unanimous consent vote on Wednesday to hold Black in contempt enables House Speaker Rep. Mike Johnson to refer the matter to the Justice Department for criminal consideration. Black’s legal team condemned the vote, asserting that the committee’s subpoenas unjustly singled him out. The committee persists in seeking information that is not available, attorneys Susan Estrich and Aaron Cutler stated in a Wednesday release. They explained that the committee intended to inquire about all NDAs Black has ever signed, even those with business partners and people he has never encountered. Individuals bound by non-disclosure agreements can be legally forced to testify about their experiences via subpoena, but not during voluntary interviews with Congress. Certain other associates of Epstein, such as Bill Gates, stated in voluntary interviews that they had not signed any NDAs with Epstein or his victims. Numerous states prohibited non-disclosure agreements related to sexual abuse amid the #MeToo movement, which was sparked by reports on Harvey Weinstein, yet no federal ban has been implemented. This article has been updated.