The US House of Representatives has voted to hold billionaire investor Leon Black in contempt of Congress for defying two subpoenas issued as part of its investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The measure passed by unanimous consent and marks the first time the House has held a witness in contempt in connection with the Epstein inquiry. The matter will now be referred to the Department of Justice, which will decide whether to pursue criminal charges against Black.

Black, co-founder of the private equity firm Apollo Global Management, had business ties to Epstein spanning several years. His name appears in Justice Department Epstein files thousands of times, though appearing in those files is not in itself an indication of criminal wrongdoing.

Black appeared voluntarily before the House Oversight Committee in June for a closed-door interview, but walked out before it concluded. Lawmakers said he declined to answer questions about nondisclosure agreements he may have signed, including agreements potentially involving survivors of Epstein's abuse.

The committee subsequently issued two subpoenas ordering Black to return for an on-camera deposition under oath and to hand over relevant documents. Black did not comply. Instead, he filed a lawsuit against the committee and its chairman, Representative James Comer, a Republican from Kentucky, accusing them of overstepping their authority.

During his June appearance, Black delivered a written statement saying he paid Epstein more than $100 million for tax and estate planning services. He told committee members that Epstein's tax work saved him "billions of dollars." Between 2013 and 2017, Black paid Epstein millions of dollars -- a period that followed Epstein's 2008 guilty plea to prostitution charges involving a minor.

Black has said he did not know about Epstein's crimes until Epstein was charged with sex trafficking in July 2019. He has denied any wrongdoing in connection with his relationship with Epstein.

Black stepped down from his leadership role at Apollo Global Management in 2021 after the payments became public and scrutiny of his Epstein ties intensified.

Addressing the committee ahead of the vote, Chairman Comer said Black "defied Congress" and was "hiding behind litigation to delay having to provide answers to the American people." Following passage of the contempt measure, Comer said: "No one is above the law. We will continue to seek transparency for the American people and justice for survivors."

The committee's top Democrat, Congressman Robert Garcia, called the contempt vote "an important step towards justice and accountability." "We will continue to center the survivors in our fight to hold those responsible for these horrific crimes," he said.

Lawyers for Black, Susan Estrich and Aaron Cutler, called the resolution "politically motivated and completely retaliatory," saying Black had cooperated with the committee by appearing for the initial interview. In a joint statement, they described the contempt action as "an outrageous action that ignores the facts and the truth about Mr. Black." They also said the House acted "without any regard to the active litigation challenging the lawfulness of the Committee's actions and the ethics complaint against Chairman Comer."

A number of survivors of Epstein's abuse issued a statement commending the contempt vote. "By moving to hold Leon Black in contempt, Chairman Comer is sending a clear message that wealth and influence do not put anyone beyond the reach of congressional oversight," the survivors said.

The contempt resolution is the latest development in a broader congressional inquiry. Earlier this year, the committee voted to recommend contempt charges against former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who initially resisted calls to testify. That vote never reached the House floor after both eventually agreed to appear for recorded depositions.

Prosecuting individuals held in contempt of Congress is rare but has occurred. During the Biden administration, former Trump advisers Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro each served four months in prison after failing to cooperate with a separate congressional investigation.