Senator Requests Investigation into MoMA Trustee Leon Black’s Connections with Jeffrey Epstein
**Senator Calls for IRS Probe into Financier Leon Black’s Dealings with Jeffrey Epstein**
Amidst ongoing financial and legal controversies, Oregon’s Democratic Senator Ron Wyden, a significant figure on the Senate Finance Committee, has put forth a call for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to investigate Leon Black, a well-known financier and trustee of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). The probe is aimed at examining substantial payments made by Black to the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Senator Wyden, in a recent communication to IRS Commissioner Billy Long, underscored potential shortcomings in the IRS’s oversight of financial transactions between Black, former head of Apollo Global Management, and Epstein. Wyden hinted that a thorough investigation by the IRS could unveil Epstein’s lack of financial acumen, questioning why he received exorbitant fees from Black without holding any formal qualifications in accounting or tax consultancy.
Between 2012 and 2017, Black purportedly disbursed $158 million to Epstein for purported tax strategies, with a large portion allocated for unspecified “ad hoc” services. Such payments to Epstein, who lacked professional accreditation, were reportedly beyond conventional expectations for financial consulting fees. Wyden’s letter to the IRS accentuated the absence of concrete business agreements governing these payments, a fact he deemed peculiar.
Shortly following the dispatch of Wyden’s letter, President Trump removed IRS Commissioner Long, succeeding him with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
Leon Black, amidst growing scrutiny, resigned as MoMA’s chairman in 2021 after reports surfaced connecting him financially to Epstein, prompting over 150 artists to advocate for his detachment from the institution. Despite stepping down as chairman, Black remains a board member.
Facing serious allegations, Black has been accused of raping a minor with a developmental disability at Epstein’s residence—a charge he has flatly denied. He has also contended with additional accusations of sexual misconduct, which he refutes.
An independent review commissioned by Apollo Global Management acquitted Black of any misconduct concerning his engagements with Epstein. However, Wyden challenges the legitimacy of the payments, indicating that some endeavors allegedly funded illegal activities in the US Virgin Islands—a hub for Epstein’s criminal operations. To avoid future litigation linked to Epstein in the territory, Black agreed to a $62.5 million settlement.
As these allegations and fiscal inquiries unfold, the scrutiny surrounding Black’s financial dealings with Epstein remains intense, with implications for transparency and accountability in high-profile financial networks.