Leon Black sues Rep. Robert Garcia for $7.25 million in defamation damages
The billionaire alleges false statements linking him to Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes caused financial and personal harm.
By Jonathan Hoffmann ·
Federal court records show a new legal battle has begun between a prominent financier and a California congressman. Billionaire Leon Black filed a federal defamation lawsuit on Wednesday against Rep. Robert Garcia. The suit targets specific public comments Garcia made connecting Black to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. This action follows a period of intense congressional scrutiny involving subpoenas and testimony.
Black seeks $7.25 million in compensatory and punitive damages in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The filing requests a jury trial to determine the outcome of the case. Black’s legal team argues that Garcia’s statements were false and made with malice. They claim these remarks resulted in ongoing physical and professional consequences for their client.
Garcia made the disputed remarks during a television interview in June. He stated that Black was at the center of Epstein’s crimes. Garcia further claimed that Black was one of the last people to interact with Epstein before the financier’s suicide in prison. The congressman also said he had spoken to survivors who named Black as directly involved in the abuse of women.
Black’s attorneys assert that Garcia’s words have caused real and significant harm. The filing notes that Black’s physical safety has been threatened. It also details a barrage of hateful calls, emails, and social media posts directed at him. Black’s business interests and philanthropic work have reportedly suffered as a result of the public statements.
The lawsuit comes less than two months after the House approved a contempt resolution against Black. The resolution followed his defiance of subpoenas from the Oversight Committee. Black had refused to turn over potential nondisclosure agreements related to the Epstein investigation. In September, Garcia described the contempt resolution as an important step toward justice and accountability.
Black co-founded Apollo Global Management and stepped down in 2021 amid the fallout over his ties to Epstein. Lawmakers alleged he paid Epstein $180 million during their relationship. A 2021 review commissioned by Apollo found that Black paid Epstein $158 million from 2012 to 2017. The review characterized those payments as compensation for tax, estate planning, and other related services.
Garcia’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the new lawsuit. Black appeared for a voluntary interview with the committee in June. During that session, he denied any knowledge of Epstein’s sex trafficking network. His lawyers have consistently maintained that he had no awareness of Epstein’s criminal conduct.
