Leon Black Files $7.5 Million Defamation Suit Against Rep. Robert Garcia

Leon Black, the billionaire investor, has filed a $7.5 million defamation lawsuit against Representative Robert Garcia of California. Black accuses the senior House oversight committee member of falsely linking him to the sex trafficking crimes of Jeffrey Epstein.

The complaint was filed in federal court in New York on Wednesday. It follows the House vote nearly two months ago to hold Black in contempt of Congress. The chamber voted to cite him for refusing to comply with subpoenas from the oversight committee, which is investigating Epstein. As of November 5, the Department of Justice had not brought contempt charges against Black. Garcia’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the new filing.

Black’s financial relationship with Epstein became public in recent months. The New York Times reported that Black paid Epstein a total of $170 million between 2013 and 2017. Black described those payments as covering tax and estate planning services. He sat for a voluntary interview with the oversight committee in late June, but the session ended abruptly. Lawmakers from both parties said Black would not answer questions regarding non-disclosure agreements.

The committee, led by Republican chairman James Comer, issued two subpoenas following the June interview. One demanded all non-disclosure agreements to which Black is a party, and the other ordered him to return for a deposition. Black skipped his scheduled deposition on September 3 and did not produce all the agreements the panel sought. He subsequently sued Comer and the committee, arguing the subpoenas were invalid and exceeded the panel’s authority.

In the new filing, Black alleges that shortly after his June appearance, Garcia appeared on national television and claimed that “Leon Black is at the center of Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes.” The complaint states that several weeks later, Garcia returned to television and asserted that Black was one of the last people to interact with Epstein before the financier was found dead in jail in 2019. Garcia also said he had talked to survivors who credibly named Black as someone involved in direct abuse of women and Epstein’s trafficking network.

Black contends these claims are false and that Garcia knew they were false. The suit argues the remarks caused real and ongoing harm to Black. The constitution’s speech or debate clause generally shields members of Congress from defamation suits, but the protection applies only to statements made as part of legislative activity. It typically does not cover comments made to the media.

In September, Garcia responded to Black’s earlier suit against the committee by claiming the billionaire funded Epstein’s abuse and trafficking of women. Garcia added that multiple women have accused Black of sexual assault. A spokesperson for Black countered that he has never abused a woman, never been with an underage woman, and never paid Epstein for women. At a news conference on Wednesday, Garcia said the panel would focus on Epstein among four key issues when he takes over as chair of the House oversight committee in January.