Kathmandu— Billionaire Leon Black, the cofounder and former CEO of private equity firm Apollo Global Management, has sued a United States House of Representatives committee investigating convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The lawsuit was filed on Thursday as Black skipped a scheduled deposition. The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform had issued two subpoenas to Black in June, demanding documents related to his relations with Epstein and requiring him to return for a deposition.

Black's Legal Stance

In a statement, Black’s lawyer Susan Estrich called the panel’s investigation “a fishing expedition that oversteps its authority and completely ignores its responsibility.” She added, “This is no longer about finding the truth about Epstein. It is about trying to destroy Mr Black.” The lawsuit seeks to block these subpoenas.

Congressional Response

Representative Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the Oversight Committee, called for Congress to hold Black in contempt of Congress “immediately.” Holding an individual in contempt typically requires a vote by the full House and can lead to potential indictment if a federal prosecutor decides to act. However, it remains unclear whether the Republican-controlled House would pursue such measures.

Broader Investigation Context

Black is one of several influential figures whose names appeared in files released by the Department of Justice from its Epstein investigation. The panel’s investigation has also called on other prominent individuals, including former President Bill Clinton and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. Despite document releases, lawmakers have accused the department of not being forthcoming with all related documents.

(With inputs from Al Jazeera)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.