Leon Black sues Robert Garcia for $7.25 million over Epstein remarks

Leon Black filed a federal defamation lawsuit in New York on Wednesday against California Representative Robert Garcia, demanding $7.25 million in damages. The suit targets specific public statements Garcia made connecting Black to Jeffrey Epstein. Black is seeking a jury trial in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

The legal action follows a House vote in September that held Black in contempt of Congress. Lawmakers passed the resolution after Black defied subpoenas from the Oversight Committee during its investigation into Epstein. The committee had asked Black to appear and provide documents, including potential nondisclosure agreements related to the case.

Garcia made the comments in a television interview in June, shortly after Black gave a voluntary interview to the committee. During that interview, Black denied knowing about Epstein’s sex trafficking network. Garcia later stated on air that Black was at the center of Epstein’s crimes. He claimed Black was one of the last people to interact with Epstein before the financier died in prison.

The congressman also told the audience he had spoken to survivors who named Black as directly involved in the abuse of women. Garcia said these survivors credibly identified Black as part of the Epstein operation. Black’s attorneys argue these claims were false and made with malice.

The filing details the impact of these statements on Black’s life. It notes that his physical safety has been threatened and that he has received a large volume of hateful calls, emails, and social media posts. The document also states that his business interests and philanthropic work have suffered as a result.

Garcia’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In September, he described the contempt resolution as an important step toward justice and accountability. Black’s legal team has criticized the Oversight Committee’s pursuit of Black as an abuse of power. They maintain that he had no knowledge of Epstein’s criminal conduct.

Black co-founded Apollo Global Management and stepped down from the firm in 2021. He had a yearslong relationship with Epstein, who pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting prostitution from a minor. A 2021 review commissioned by Apollo found that Black paid Epstein $158 million between 2012 and 2017. Lawmakers allege the total amount paid was $180 million. The review characterized the payments as compensation for bona fide tax, estate planning, and other related services.