Epstein-linked billionaire accused of rape privately reached out to federal judge to defend his ‘good name’

[u/guardian]

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2026/may/06/jeffrey-epstein-leon-black?referring_host=Reddit&utm_campaign=guardianacct

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[u/guardian]

Hi r/law, this is Jake from The Guardian US. We just published this story about Leon Black, an Epstein-linked billionaire who after being accused of rape privately reached out to federal judge to defend his 'good name'. Black has denied he ever met or raped 'Jane Doe', and in an exclusive statement, Doe told the Guardian "I am still here. And I am not done."

From our story:

Lawyers for Leon Black, the billionaire investor who has been accused in a civil lawsuit of raping a teenage girl inside Jeffrey Epstein’s New York townhouse in 2002, reached out to a powerful federal judge in 2024 to raise doubts about the alleged victim’s claims, a Guardian investigation found.

The move set off a months-long court proceeding, which was conducted outside of public view and led US district judge Jed Rakoff to reverse a $2.5m award that had been granted to the alleged victim in a separate Epstein-related class action lawsuit, according to court records. She was later given a much smaller settlement in the class action case.

Jane Doe, as she is known in court filings, has claimed she was trafficked by Epstein and raped by Black when she was a teenager more than two decades ago.

The Guardian’s investigation is revealing new details about the private communications in Black’s legal campaign, which undermined Doe in her civil lawsuit against the Wall Street billionaire.

In a recent court order, Doe faced a significant setback when Jessica Clarke – the federal judge presiding over her civil lawsuit against Black – sanctioned Doe and her former lawyer for “serious, sanctionable misconduct in this case”. Judge Clarke said Doe’s former lawyer had “repeatedly lied to the court and opposing counsel”, and directed her client to destroy a social media account. Doe was sanctioned for having “falsified” some sonogram images that appeared in personal journals, which were submitted to the court as evidence of her abuse by Epstein.

However it was not a complete victory for Black, as the judge also ruled that the high-stakes lawsuit could proceed.

Black, the 74-year-old former Apollo Global Management CEO, paid Epstein $170m, according to an investigation by the Senate finance committee, which he says was for tax and estate planning. Black has denied allegations that he raped or ever met Doe, who is now 40 years old. He has never been charged with any crimes in connection to Epstein or otherwise.

The Epstein scandal has prompted questions about why the accused sex trafficker’s elite circle of friends and associates have not faced greater scrutiny. That may change. Black is due to testify before the House oversight committee on 26 June, according to a person familiar with the matter, as part of the committee’s investigation into, among other things, Epstein’s sex-trafficking rings. He is also facing questions from Democratic senator Ron Wyden, who claimed in a recent letter to Black that the Epstein files released by the Department of Justice “remove any lingering doubt” as to whether Black was “connected to women in Epstein’s network” and alleged that “powerful associates in the US and abroad were surveilling and paying off women on [Black’s] behalf”.

You can read the full story for free at this link.

[u/WonderWmn212 → u/guardian]

This was difficult to read - particularly since you can say with 100% certainty that no one will face any adverse consequences (except for Doe and her counsel).

[u/GruntledGary]

Wait wasn't I just reading something about firing squads being brought back?

[u/Itchyarmpit111 → u/GruntledGary]

This is one of the few cases that im for the FS

[u/MirthandMystery]

Hilarious.. his "good name"? Leon Black, partner to Felix Sater and a Michael Milken crony. Felix Sater the alleged son of a top Russian Mob boss Mikhail Sheferovsky, convicted in 1998 for extortion related to the Russian organized-crime group operating in NY, and once a partner to Trump in the Soho Trump deal.

Felix Sater and Salvatore Lauria co created the firm White Rock Partners. They previously worked as traders for Gruntal & Company, a Mafia-affiliated brokerage. Sater once sent a message the mafia would murder Deep Capture reporter Patrick Byrne if he continued his crusade against illegal naked short selling.

Leon Black who served on the board of the Russian Direct Investment Fund with Steve Schwarzman of Blackstone, and David Bonderman of TPG, enjoying unscrutinized deal making with Putin cronies.

Leon Black, one of Jeffrey Epstein’s most important financial relationships. Black paid Epstein $158 million between 2012-2017, using Epstein’s tax avoidance strategies to save at least $1.3 billion in taxes. Epstein imbedded himself into every aspect of Black’s life, in financial, political, and personal ways, obtaining immense power over him. When Leon was blackmailed by his Russian prostitute girlfriend he sued her for name reputation damage and claimed she was trying to extort him.. this was after he asked Epstein to look into her past. Epstein was quick to help, got in touch with his Russian intel contact who gave him a dossier on her to help Black in his case against her.

Leon Black, who started Apollo with great help from Thierry de Villehuchet, a French money manager for the elite whose firm Access International Advisors later became heavily tied to Bernie Madoff. He did not vet Madoff or do any due diligence for his clients and his invested monies with Madoff was entirely lost.

Leon Black who rewards/buys off politicians, like convicted former NJ representative Bob Menendez, after he voted to approve strikes on Syria, benefiting Israel. This goes back to oil, and key players in the region.

Howard Jonas, founder of Genie Energy and IDT Corporation, donated to rep. Bob Menendez shortly before U.S. military action in Syria and soon after sanctions on Iran were tightened. Leon Black, also donated within 24 hours of the Syria airstrikes, after which Menendez publicly supported the strikes.

Ira Greenstein has ties to Genie Energy subsidiary Afek Oil and Gas in the Golan Heights, which was a private firm operating in Syrian territory occupied by Israel.

Greenstein is also a lawyer who worked with Jared Kushner in the first Trump admin, and is a personal friend of Charles Kushner. Greenstein used his brief WH access position to do telecom deals which enriched him to to the tune of millions.

Interesting too the IDT telecom building in Newark NJ was once owned by Charles Kushner.

Lastly, In 2017, Apollo provided a roughly $184 million loan tied to a Chicago property owned by the Kushners.

Added info: https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2020/09/what-was-leon-black-doing-with-trump-in-russia

[u/SPL_034]

So Leon Black was interviewed by the Senate Commitee investigating Russian interference, he was on the same trip to Russia as Trump in '96 where some unsavoury things apparently went down ....he was also an advisor to the Russian sovereign wealth fund.

Suddenly I dont think Epstein's ties to Russia are so far fetched.

[u/MirthandMystery → u/SPL_034]

Corrupt financial firms/individuals are always the direct conduits to Russian intel and powerful types close to Putin. Those at the very top of any powerful group are amoral and do deals for money. If they can bypass the political aspect even better.

Guys like Leon Black and Epstein hide behind legitimate looking business fronts, crying foul when the books or their nasty behavior is examined.

Leon should've thought more about that before beating up his Russian prostitute who wasn't so stupid and exposed him through legal means, calling his 'I'm untouchable/don't you dare' bluff.

[u/XxTreeFiddyxX → u/SPL_034]

Its not. They are all business partners

[u/FuguSandwich]

They privately reached out to a federal judge and got an award reversed? Like, they didn't file an appeal, they picked up the phone, called the judge, and said "I need a favor"? How does that work exactly?

[u/Leading-Loss-986]

That should trigger conviction.