Leon Black investigated over sexual assault allegations
Investigation revolves around claims in civil lawsuit filed by Russian model
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office has reportedly opened a criminal probe into billionaire Leon Black over allegations he raped two models.
The investigation, revealed by two sources to Vanity Fair, focuses on claims in a civil suit filed by a Russian model who accuses the 70-year-old financier of sexual assault.
Guzel Ganieva alleged in June that Black, the former CEO of Apollo Global Management, raped her in 2014.
Leon Black, former chairman and chief executive officer of Apollo Global Management LLC, at the Bloomberg Invest Summit in New York in June 2019. (Demetrius Freeman/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
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She then amended her suit last month to include claims by another woman that Black had raped her in Jeffrey Epstein’s Upper East Side townhouse in 2002.
Sources told the publication that the investigation is in the early stages.
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But prosecutors have already met with Ganieva, 38, and the other accuser, who is referred to in court papers as Jane Doe.
The DA’s office could not be reached for comment early Tuesday.
Leon Black, former chairman and chief executive officer of Apollo Global Management LLC, speaks during the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, California, in May 2018. (Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Black has vehemently denied the accusations by both Ganieva and the unidentified woman.
And a spokesperson for Black told Vanity Fair that his team is unaware of any investigation into the billionaire by the DA.
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Leon Black, former chairman and chief executive officer of Apollo Global Management LLC, speaks at the Milken Institute Asia Summit in Singapore in September 2016. (SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
"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," the spokesperson said.
"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."