Apollo Global Management co-founder Leon Black has sued members of the US Congress over their probe into the federal government’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case, accusing lawmakers of abusing their congressional power by engaging in a “fishing expedition.” Lawyers for the billionaire filed a lawsuit on Thursday in federal court against the House committee on oversight and government reform and its chair, Republican congressman James Comer. Black’s lawyers argued that two congressional subpoenas issued to the Apollo co-founder earlier in the summer were “invalid” because they allegedly exceeded the committee’s “delegated authority” by “seeking private information that bears no legitimate connection” to the panel’s “legislative purpose.” Black’s lawyers also said the subpoenas would “expose women who value their privacy.” Congressional subpoenas are legally binding. If an individual does not comply with a subpoena, and lawmakers vote to hold them in contempt of Congress, the matter is usually referred to the Department of Justice, which can lead to criminal charges.

Black is among several prominent Wall Street figures who have been targeted by the committee in recent months over their ties to Epstein. Former Barclays chief executive Jes Staley and Goldman Sachs’ one-time top lawyer, Kathy Ruemmler, both took questions from the committee this summer over their links to the late sex offender. But Black is the first person to initiate a legal battle with lawmakers over their probe, which was launched last year to investigate the federal government’s handling of the Epstein case.

Epstein was found dead in his jail cell in 2019 as he awaited trial on federal sex-crime charges. Susan Estrich, a lawyer for Black, accused the committee of engaging in a “fishing expedition that oversteps its authority and completely ignores its responsibility.” “This is no longer about finding the truth about Epstein. It is about trying to destroy Mr Black,” Estrich said. “We were left with no choice but to file this lawsuit in response to an abuse of congressional power.