US billionaire Leon Black defies summons and sues Epstein investigation panel

"By refusing to testify today, Leon Black is now defying two Congressional subpoenas," Robert Garcia, who sits on the committee, said in a statement after Black failed to appear.

"His connections to Epstein and his unwillingness to cooperate are unacceptable. We must hold him in contempt immediately," Garcia added.

Contempt of Congress could result in the committee referring Black to the justice department for potential prosecution.

"It's a shame Leon Black is hiding behind litigation rather than provide answers to the American people," Chairman Jomes Comer said. "Mr Black's testimony is crucial to our investigation."

Black has said he employed Epstein as a wealth management adviser, telling the House Oversight Committee in June that he had paid Epstein $158m (£120m) for legitimate purposes over the course of their years-long association.

He has said he did not know about Epstein's "nefarious activity until Epstein was charged with trafficking in July 2019".

Black appears in the Epstein files released by the justice department, which include photos, videos and investigative documents relating to the disgraced late financier.

There is no suggestion that appearing in the documents implies any wrongdoing.

Black had a six-year affair with a former Russian model, Guzel Ganieva, which ended in allegations of abuse, court records show.

According to a lawsuit filed by Ganieva against Black, which was later dismissed, he prepared a nondisclosure agreement in 2015 to secure her silence.

Epstein offered Black advice, including suggesting in an email to his assistant that Black hire former law enforcement officers to approach Ganieva, according to files released by the US justice department.

Estrich, Black's attorney, has dismissed Ganieva's accusation as "demonstrably false". Black himself has previously said he was the victim of extortion.

A judge ultimately dismissed Ganieva's lawsuit, citing the NDA she signed and about $9m (£6.6m) that she had received in the years after entering the agreement.

Black left Apollo Global Management, a company he co-founded, in 2021 - saying at the time that "relentless public attention and media scrutiny" of his ties with Epstein had taken "a toll" on his health.