Leon Black

Role / Public Description

Business executive. Co-founder and former CEO of Apollo Global Management. Acknowledged paying approximately $158 million in fees to Epstein for advisory services. Named in civil litigation and document releases. Subject of Dechert LLP independent review (2021), which found no evidence of illegal activity with Epstein. No criminal charges.

Who This Person Is

Leon Black is an American financier and co-founder of Apollo Global Management, one of the world's largest private equity firms. He served as Apollo's Chief Executive Officer until his resignation in March 2021. Black has acknowledged a financial relationship with Jeffrey Epstein that he has described as limited to estate planning and philanthropic advisory work, and has stated that he paid Epstein approximately $158 million in fees for those services over several years. The nature and scope of that financial relationship became a subject of public and regulatory attention following Epstein's 2019 arrest.

Black's name appears in civil litigation and document releases connected to the Epstein network, including references in Giuffre v. Maxwell-related materials. An independent review commissioned by Apollo Global Management and conducted by the law firm Dechert LLP concluded that Black had a "close personal and financial relationship" with Epstein but found no evidence that Black engaged in any illegal activity with Epstein. Black resigned as Apollo CEO in March 2021, stating that the Epstein-related controversy had taken a personal toll. He described the fees as paid for legitimate services.

Inclusion in this archive is limited to Black's documented appearance in Epstein-related civil proceedings and document releases. No criminal charges have been brought against Black in connection with the Epstein investigations. The Dechert LLP independent review is a key document in contextualizing his profile and should be cited prominently on this page.

Sources (baseline references)

Primary sources

• Dechert LLP independent review (2021) — Commissioned by Apollo Global Management. The most directly relevant document summarizing the financial relationship and its findings. Verify public availability and stable link before publication. PRIMARY-ADJACENT.
• Apollo Global Management public statements — Official company communications about the Dechert review and Black's resignation. Verify and link to publicly available archived versions. PRIMARY (self-statement).
• Giuffre v. Maxwell civil docket — CourtListener, S.D.N.Y. Verify specific filings naming Black and the context of those references before publication. PRIMARY.
• DOJ Epstein Disclosures — justice.gov/epstein/doj-disclosures — verify whether and how Black's name appears in released materials. PRIMARY.

Secondary sources

• Reuters — Reporting on Black's financial relationship with Epstein and Apollo resignation. SECONDARY.
• New York Times — Coverage of the Dechert review and Black–Epstein relationship. SECONDARY.
• Wall Street Journal — Reporting on Black's departure from Apollo and the financial relationship. SECONDARY.
• AP — Wire coverage of Epstein network proceedings referencing Black. SECONDARY.
• Eleventh Circuit rules NPA violated victims’ CVRA rights; Epstein's arrest renders the issue moot — #
• 2008 Florida NPA — Existing document page at . LINK DIRECTLY.
• 2008 Florida plea agreement — Existing document page at . LINK DIRECTLY.
• Eleventh Circuit CVRA ruling (2019) — In re: Crimes Victims’ Rights Act, 11th Cir. Verify case citation and CourtListener link before publication. PRIMARY.