Leon Black is sorry. Sorry, we’re sure, about just how close a relationship he had with convicted and now dead pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Sorry that he funneled his fellow “financier” as much as $75 million long after he officially became a registered sex offender. But mostly, if seems, sorry that other people keep taking notice of it, producing awkward questions on the part of clients and forcing him to do his least favorite thing: talk about Jeffery Epstein.
Wall Street tycoon and Apollo Global Management co-founder Leon Black expressed regret for his dealings with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in a letter to investors on Monday…. Black said in the letter that his relationship with Epstein spanned only professional services that included “estate planning, tax and philanthropic endeavors.” He also wrote that he occasionally met with Epstein at Epstein’s townhouse in New York to conduct business, as Epstein did not have a separate office. He also noted visiting Epstein’s private island for a “picnic lunch.” In the letter, Black said that members of his immediate family accompanied him.
“With the benefit of hindsight — and knowing everything that has come to light about Epstein’s despicable conduct more than fifteen years ago — I deeply regret having had any involvement with him,” Black stated in the letter.
Fifteen years ago is exactly when Epstein’s predilection for teenage girls became public knowledge. Even Donald Trump realized the guy was a creep. And 12 years ago is when he was convicted of soliciting the underage and went to prison for more than a year for it. Black’s relationship with him, on the other hand?
Black “received personal trusts and estates planning advice as well as family office philanthropy and investment services from several financial and legal advisors, including Mr. Epstein, during a six-year period, between 2012 and 2017.”
Well, dear, loyal Apollo investor, you can still take solace in two things: One, Epstein never got anywhere near the private equity firm itself, and Leon Black did not lie to you. Elided a few things, perhaps, left out some details that are only of interest to yellow journalists, but definitely never outright told a falsehood.
“None of the reporting in the recent New York Times article is inconsistent in any way with the information I shared with you over a year ago,” Black stated in the letter to Apollo’s limited partners.
Leon Black tells investors ‘I deeply regret’ involvement with Jeffrey Epstein [CNN Business]