LEON’S ‘EPS’ & DOWNS
‘Pedo ties’ case nix fails
Billionaire financier Leon Black suffered setbacks this week in a defamation suit brought against him by his former Russian mistress, with a judge ruling that he can’t keep his ties to dead pedophile Jeffrey Epstein out of the case.
New York state Judge David Cohen ruled on Monday that he wanted to know more about the relationship between Epstein and Black — the former chairman and CEO of private-equity giant Apollo Global Management — in the ongoing lawsuit filed by Russian model Guzel Ganieva and a second woman who claims Black sexually abused her, according to a court filing.
The ruling means discovery can begin in earnest and — unless Black reaches a settlement with Ganieva, whose explosive Twitter posts about her relationship with Black came shortly before his surprise announcement last spring that he was stepping down as Apollo’s CEO — could face a salacious trial as soon as next year, according to court papers.
The suit centers on Ganieva’s allegation that Black defamed her after she alleged in a series of cryptic March 2021 tweets that she had been a victim of Black’s sexual abuse. In response, Black claimed that he and Ganieva had a consensual affair and alleged that she had extorted him, knowing that he wanted to hide the relationship from his family.
Ganieva then sued Black in June for defamation, and detailed multiple rape allegations. Her first complaint didn’t include any mention of Epstein. But as the two sides have battled, Epstein’s name has cropped up in newer, more detailed filings.
Ganieva has alleged Black once flew her to Florida to have sex with Epstein and that he raped another woman at Epstein’s Manhattan townhouse.
Epstein ties relevant
Black also said under questioning that Epstein was one of a handful of people who knew about her alleged extortion threats against Black in 2015 when she allegedly demanded $100 million. That led to a confidentiality agreement, and Epstein was one of a few who knew details, which included Black paying Ganieva $100,000 a month for 15 years, according to court papers.
Cohen not only struck down Black’s motion to remove Epstein’s name from the case, but also ruled that her allegations of sexual abuse were relevant despite his request to have them tossed.
“The underlying facts about Epstein are at the center of the material facts in dispute,” Cohen said in the latest ruling. “Defendant [Black] was not merely ‘associated’ with Epstein, and Epstein is not a background figure in this case.”
Despite Black’s claims “the mention of Epstein’s name was a mere prejudicial diversion, the facts show that Epstein was significant to plaintiff ’s claims in this case,” the judge added.
Black’s lawyer, Michael Carlinsky, said in a Thursday statement that Ganieva’s suit “is and always has been a frivolous attempt to further extort Mr. Black.” He said the court’s “procedural ruling” does not “change the fact that her claims are baseless.”