Leon Black, the former head of Apollo Global Management, is facing two new charges of rape. According to a report in Vanity Fair, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office is investigating allegations that Leon Black raped two models. The publication cited unnamed sources that said that the models involved are the two women woman who have already filed lawsuits against Black.
In June, a lawsuit was filed against Leon Black accusing him of defamation. Güzel Ganieva accused Black of coercing her into silence after committing acts of sexual violence against her as well as defamation. The suit was filed in New York City.
Guzel claims that she was taken by Black to Jeffrey Epstein’s estate and handed over like a present.
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In September, a second woman, whose identity has not been revealed, filed a lawsuit against Leon Black over rape allegations. In a court filing, the Jane Doe accuser is described as a “struggling single mother’ and former model from New Jersey who knew Epstein first. It was Epstein who sent Doe to Black, she claims. The suit claims that she met with Black in the massage room in Epstein’s mansion. Black paid her $300, and then proceeded to assault her, causing Doe “tearing pain.”
Doe says that she later agreed to meet Leon Black in Manhattan’s St. Regis Hotel and that Black paid her $5,000 for the visit.
A spokesperson for Black told Vanity Fair, “We have no knowledge of any investigation of Mr. Black. As we have previously stated, Mr. Black has provided substantial documentary evidence in legal filings, including text messages and recordings that show Ms. Ganieva’s claims to be completely false. In addition, we have been in contact with the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and provided detailed evidence of Ms. Ganieva’s extortion of Mr. Black.”
Jeanne M. Christensen, Partner at Wigdor LLP and counsel for Guzel Ganieva and Jane Doe said in a statement by mail to Jewish Business News: “We stand behind our clients and seek to hold Black accountable. We encourage anyone who may have been sexually assaulted by Black or has relevant information about someone else to contact our office or the Manhattan DA’s office.”
The 69 year old Wall Street power player was supposed to stay on with Apollo Global Management until the end of this year. However, Leon Black was forced to abruptly resign in March, after announcing his retirement in January of this year. But even his “retirement” was not entirely voluntary. Black was pushed into it after a plethora of revelations were made about his relationship with the late rapist and pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
