Billionaire Leon Black sues US congressman Robert Garcia for $7.5 million, claiming the lawmaker lied on national television
Garcia had said that Black is at the center of Epstein’s crimes.
Billionaire investor Leon Black has officially launched a defamation lawsuit against California congressman Robert Garcia. According to The Guardian, the legal action, filed in federal court in New York on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, seeks $7.5 million in damages. Black claims that Garcia, who is the top Democrat on the House oversight committee, knowingly spread false information about him on national television.
The move adds to the complexity of the ongoing tension between Black and the House oversight committee regarding their investigation into the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. The lawsuit centers on specific public comments Garcia made following Black’s voluntary appearance before the committee in late June.
Black alleges that shortly after that hearing, Garcia went on national television and lied to the American people. Specifically, the complaint points to Garcia claiming that Leon Black is at the center of Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes. Black argues these statements were not only inaccurate but were intentionally made to damage his reputation. The conflict escalated further as the lawsuit alleges that Garcia appeared on television again several weeks later to repeat these claims.
Black insists Garcia was aware of the falsity of the characterizations when he made them
Black asserts that Garcia stated he was one of the last people to actually interact with Epstein before the financier was found dead in jail in 2019. Furthermore, the lawsuit notes that Garcia claimed he had talked to survivors that have credibly named Leon Black as someone that was involved in direct abuse of women and was directly involved with Jeffrey Epstein’s trafficking network. Black insists these characterizations are entirely false and that Garcia was aware of their falsity when he made them.
There is a significant legal debate regarding the protection of members of Congress. While the speech or debate clause of the constitution provides immunity for legislative activities, it generally does not cover comments made in the media. This distinction is where Black’s legal team is focusing their efforts. They argue that Garcia’s television appearances fall outside the scope of protected congressional duties.
In late June, Black appeared before the oversight committee for a voluntary interview. His name has come up repeatedly in the Epstein files. Reports indicate that Black paid Epstein a total of $170 million for what he described as tax and estate planning services between 2013 and 2017. During the June hearing, lawmakers from both parties questioned Black about non-disclosure agreements. The session ended abruptly when Black refused to answer those specific questions.
Following that event, the committee issued two subpoenas. One required Black to produce all NDAs to which he is a party. The other required him to appear for a deposition on September 3. Black did not appear for that, and did not produce the full list of documents.
Black then filed a separate lawsuit against James Comer
In the filing against committee chair James Comer, Black argued that the subpoenas were invalid and exceeded the committee’s authority. He also claimed that the requests would expose women who value their privacy and have no public connection to Epstein. The House eventually voted to hold Black in contempt of Congress in September due to his refusal to comply with these subpoenas. As of November 5, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has not filed formal contempt charges against him.
Meanwhile, Garcia has remained vocal about his stance on the matter. In September, Garcia claimed that Black funded Epstein’s abuse and trafficking of women. He added that multiple women have also accused Black of sexual assault and stated that his connections to Epstein and his unwillingness to cooperate are unacceptable.
Black’s representatives have pushed back firmly against these claims. A spokesperson for the billionaire stated that Black has never abused a woman, has never been with an underage woman, has never been involved with sex trafficking, and he never paid Epstein for women. Black maintains that he cut ties with Epstein in 2018. He also claims that the negative publicity generated by Garcia’s comments has led to real and significant ongoing harm.
According to the legal filing, the fallout has been severe for the billionaire
Black claims the statements have cost him investment opportunities and damaged his business relationships. According to The Hill, he also reports spending nearly $800,000 on private security after receiving threats following the congressman’s remarks. The filing states that the lies have eroded Mr. Black’s standing in the business community, interfered with his ability to raise capital and carry on his professional activities, and damaged relationships he spent a career building.
Garcia is expected to become the next chair of the House oversight committee following the midterm elections. At a news conference on Wednesday, he indicated that the committee will remain focused on four key issues, including the Epstein investigation, starting in January. As of now, Garcia’s office has not responded to requests for comment regarding the new lawsuit.
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