Chair of the House Oversight Committee James Comer, R-Ky., speaks to the press before a closed-door interview with Microsoft Co-Founder Bill Gates on June 10. The committee interviewed billionaire investor Leon Black Friday. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo
June 26 (UPI) -- Former Apollo Global Management CEO Leon Black told a Congressional committee Friday that he never abused women and that he didn't know the extent of Jeffrey Epstein's crimes, a copy of his opening remarks to the House Oversight Committee said.
Black's legal team shared the remarks to the media before his voluntary testimony to the committee.
"I have never abused a woman. I have never been with an underage woman. I have never engaged in sex trafficking," Black said. "I have never paid Epstein for access to women. I was never blackmailed by Epstein. I was not involved with, and had no knowledge of, any of Epstein's heinous conduct."
"I feel terrible for Epstein's victims," Black said. He said he was aware of Epstein's guilty plea in 2008 for soliciting prostitution from a minor but that he believed Epstein's explanation.
