Former Apollo Global Management CEO Leon Black appeared before the House Committee on Oversight and Reform on Friday as part of an investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. The appearance followed intensified scrutiny after the Department of Justice released millions of files related to the convicted sex offender, in which Black is mentioned repeatedly and the phrase "Please call Leon Black" appears more than 300 times.
During his testimony, Black insisted he committed no criminal wrongdoing and stated that he had never sexually abused women. He defended the $158 million in fees he paid Epstein over a yearslong relationship, explaining that the payments were for tax and estate advice.
Black claimed that Epstein had deceived him, stating in his prepared testimony, "I knew Jekyll. I didn't know Hyde." While the interview was conducted behind closed doors, the committee is expected to release a transcript at a later date.