Leon Black Testifies on Financial Relationship with Jeffrey Epstein

Leon Black, the former CEO of Apollo Global Management, provided testimony to a House committee, stating that Jeffrey Epstein misled him regarding financial advisory fees, claiming they were tax-deductible. Black asserted that he was not involved in Epstein's criminal activities and emphasized that he never paid Epstein for access to women. He described Epstein's dual personality and stated that he was deceived about the nature of the fees he paid, which totaled $158 million according to a report from the law firm Dechert. Black claimed that Epstein had assured him the fees were '60-cent dollars,' a claim he later found to be false. Black detailed his long-standing relationship with Epstein, which began in the mid-1990s, and acknowledged that he sought Epstein's advice on tax and estate matters, recognizing Epstein's expertise in these areas. He expressed regret for being misled and distanced himself from Epstein's criminal conduct.