Image source: Reuters
Leon Black is being sued by a woman who accused him of sexual assault two decades ago.
According to the woman, the Wall Street tycoon and billionaire raped her in the spring of 2002 at Jeffrey Epstein’s mansion in Manhattan.
The allegations
On Monday, plaintiff Cheri Pierson named Black and the estate of the late Jeffrey Epstein as defendants in the lawsuit filed in New York court.
According to Pierson, Epstein arranged the meeting for Pierson to massage Black on the third floor of his mansion.
She accepted the meeting in exchange for money to take care of her young daughter.
Instead, Black raped her in a “brutal assault” and left her “swollen, torn and bleeding.”
The complaint, filed by Wigdor LLP, a law firm, says:
“By the time Ms. Pierson exited the massage suite and rode down the elevator with Black, she could barely walk out of the house onto the sidewalk, as she was in excruciating pain and still in shock.”
However, on Monday, Leon Black denied the allegations.
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The perpetrator
Susan Estrich of Estrich Goldin, Leon Black’s attorney, released a statement.
The statement claimed Pierson’s allegations were “categorically false and part of a scheme to extort money from Mr. Black by threatening to destroy his reputation.”
According to Forbes, Black has a net worth of $9 billion.
Early last year, Leon Black stepped down as CEO of Apollo.
His resignation followed an independent assessment of his ties to convicted sex offender Epstein.
Black said in a letter to investors a year earlier that he regretted his dealings with Epstein.
Meanwhile, The New York Times reported that the former Wall Street mogul may have paid Epstein more than $75 million for consulting and other services.
The report came from two people familiar with the transactions and noted that they would meet and eat together.
Leon Black also has another case where Russian model Guzel Ganieva claimed he sexually assaulted her.
According to Ganieva, Black falsely accused her of extortion when she spoke out against him.
The Wall Street tycoon also denies Ganieva’s allegations.
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The complaint
Wigdor filed a lawsuit under New York’s Adult Survivor Act on Monday for Cheri Pierson.
Doug Wigdor campaigned for the new law, which passed in May and recently passed.
The Adult Survivors Act gives adult survivors of sexual assault one year to file suit against their attackers in New York and waives the statute of limitations for civil lawsuits.
According to Pierson, Epstein told her weeks before her alleged assault that he was setting up a meeting with an unnamed wealthy associate.
Epstein promised his partner could help her with a skincare product she was trying to put on the market.
According to the complaint, Pierson’s injuries from the alleged rape were so severe that she had difficulty urinating for weeks.
She didn’t have health insurance at the time.
Also, Black reportedly called her several times after the attack and told her he felt terrible and wanted to talk.
Black gave her $5,000 at a bar.
After they met, Black reached out and asked to see her again.
However, Pierson declined to see Black.
Jean Christensen, a partner for Wigdor, released a statement saying:
“Thanks to the passage of the Adult Survivors Act, survivors of sexual violence like our client, Ms. Pierson, can seek the justice they deserve no matter how many years ago their trauma was suffered.”
Reference:
Lawsuit alleges billionaire investor Leon Black raped a woman inside Jeffrey Epstein’s home
