House Oversight releases Leon Black and Doug Band transcripts, NDA demands

On July 17, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform released two transcripts from closed-door, transcribed interviews as part of its review of the federal investigations into Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.

The committee says the transcripts are meant to give the public a clearer view of the questions it pursued—especially around nondisclosure agreements (NDAs)—and what it tried to obtain next through subpoena power.

What the committee released on July 17

Oversight released the transcript from Leon Black’s transcribed interview on June 26, 2026, and the transcript from Doug Band’s transcribed interview on June 30, 2026.

How the subpoena fight was triggered in the Leon Black interview

In a separate June 26 announcement, Chairman James Comer said the committee issued two subpoenas to Black during his voluntary transcribed interview. One subpoena required a deposition on July 16, 2026. The other required Black to produce NDAs to the committee.

In the Leon Black transcript itself, committee counsel Daniel Ashworth describes the NDA document subpoena as covering “all NDAs” connected to the committee’s investigation involving Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, including NDAs Black “may have or in [his] possession.”

What the Leon Black transcript shows about the NDA questions

When lawmakers pressed on NDAs and confidentiality, Black’s counsel argued that discussing NDAs would require admitting their existence—something she said confidentiality obligations would prevent in a transcribed interview. The transcript shows committee counsel and Black’s legal team disputing how far Black could go in answering NDA-related questions while still claiming confidentiality limits.

As questioning narrowed, Black addressed whether Epstein was involved in negotiations tied to an NDA. According to the transcript, Black said Epstein “was not involved in the negotiation,” but that Black told Epstein he was “being blackmailed and extorted,” and that Black discussed the situation before negotiating a settlement that resulted in an NDA.

The transcript also captures limits on what Black would discuss. When asked who else had NDAs Black was “aware of,” the record shows Black refusing to answer and stating he would not talk about who has NDAs.

What the Doug Band transcript shows near the end

Band’s transcript includes a shorter NDA-focused exchange near the end of his interview. When asked whether he had any nondisclosure agreements, Band denied having any NDAs and denied knowledge of others having NDAs with women connected to Epstein or Maxwell.

What to watch next for readers tracking Oversight compliance

The practical next question is whether subpoenaed NDA materials are produced and whether any disputes over subpoena scope, timing, or claimed confidentiality limits lead to further enforcement steps.

Because the committee has now put the NDA-focused questions and denials on the record through the released transcripts, the next developments readers should watch are the document-production timeline and any follow-up process tied to the deposition demand set out for July 16, 2026.

Sources

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