Leon Black

Leon David Black is an American billionaire investor and co-founder of Apollo Global Management, one of the world's largest private equity firms. An independent review commissioned by Apollo in 2021 revealed that Black had paid Epstein $158 million in fees for personal tax and estate planning advice between 2012 and 2017 — well after Epstein's 2008 sex offender conviction. Black initially claimed the payments were for legitimate financial advice, but the extraordinary size of the fees drew intense scrutiny. He stepped down as Apollo's chairman in March 2021 and as a director in 2022 amid growing pressure. A former model, Guzel Ganieva, also filed a lawsuit accusing Black of sexual assault, which he denied. Black has maintained he was not involved in or aware of Epstein's crimes.

Son of Eli Black, CEO of United Brands Company (Chiquita), who died by suicide in 1975 amid a bribery scandal. Leon graduated from Dartmouth College and Harvard Business School. Worked at Drexel Burnham Lambert alongside Michael Milken before co-founding Apollo.

The $158 million in fees paid to Epstein was one of the largest documented financial relationships in the scandal. Black's father Eli Black jumped from the 44th floor of the Pan Am Building in 1975. Apollo managed over $500 billion in assets at the time of Black's departure.

Son of Eli Black (died 1975). Married Debra Ressler Black, a philanthropist. Multiple children. Major art collector and former chairman of the Museum of Modern Art.