Billionaire financier Leon Black is now believed to be the subject of a Manhattan District Attorney's office investigation into claims that he raped and sexually assaulted two Russian models.
Black, 70, a close friend of the notorious financier and paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, was first publicly accused of rape and sexual abuse in March by Guzel Ganieva, 38.
Ganieva alleged Black is a 'violent, sadistic,' sexual predator who raped and harassed her then coerced her into signing an non-disclosure-agreement. She went on to file a lawsuit against Black in June.
The model then amended her lawsuit in September to include the accusations of a second woman, referred to only as Jane Doe, who alleged she was violently raped by Black in Jeffrey Epstein's New York residence in 2002.
A legal spokesperson for Black has thus far denied any knowledge of the investigation, while the man himself has steadfastly denied the accusations.
The lawsuit and resulting investigation comes after Black, once one of New York City's most powerful executives as the former CEO of Apollo Global Management, denied any knowledge of Epstein's wrongdoing when his heinous crimes were exposed.
Billionaire financier Leon Black, 70, is now believed to be the subject of a Manhattan District Attorney's office investigation into claims that he raped and sexually assaulted two Russian models (Black pictured in California in 2018)
Guzel Ganieva, 38, is a Russian model who accused Black of rape and longstanding sexual abuse. In September, she amended her initial lawsuit to include the claims of a second woman who said she was violently raped by Black in 2002 (Ganieva pictured in NYC in 2011)
Notorious financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein is shown in this undated Florida Department of Law Enforcement photo. Leon Black is accused of raping a Russian model at Epstein's NYC home in 2002, despite previously claiming that he knew nothing of Epstein's wrongdoings
The investigation into Black has reportedly been launched after Ganieva and Jane Doe met with prosecutors to discuss their claims, according to sources cited by Vanity Fair.
Jeanne M. Christensen, a legal representative for Guzel Ganieva and Jane Doe said: '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.'
It comes just one week after Black made his first high-profile public appearance in months at the Beverly Hilton, when he attended a conference on finance of which his son Ben, a private equity executive, was a part.
The saga began in March when Ganieva first went public with her accusations about Black's long-standing history of sexual abuse and coercive behaviour.
Black resigned from his position as head of the massive investment firm Apollo Global on March 22, just days after Ganieva posted a series of tweets claiming that her abuse at the hands of black started in 2008 and continued until 2015.
She went on to file a lawsuit against the billionaire financier in June, in which she branded him a 'violent and sadistic' sexual predator who raped and harassed her, before alleging that the former CEO of Apollo Global Management forced her to fly to Florida to 'satisfy the sex needs' of Jeffrey Epstein at his Palm Beach villa.
Black had previously admitted to having a six-year affair with Ganieva, which he claims was consensual, and said he paid Ganieva $100,000 a month for 15 years not to discuss the relationship.
But the financier, who is married to broadway theatre producer Debra Black, has refuted all of the sexual abuse claims made against him.
According to an amendment to Ganieva's initial lawsuit against Black, a second woman referred to only as Jane Doe was violent raped by the billionaire financier at Jeffrey Epstein's New York townhouse in 2002 (pictured)
Ganieva alleged that the former CEO of Apollo Global Management forced her to fly to Florida to 'satisfy the sex needs' of Jeffrey Epstein at his Palm Beach villa
Guzel Ganieva has accused Black of rape and a long-standing history of sexual abuse. Ganieva is pictured (left) with friends Natane Boudreau and Claudia Mason in 2011
Black (right) stepped down from his role as CEO of Apollo in march after he was revealed as a long-time associate of pedophile billionaire Jeffrey Epstein (left). Pictured: Black and Epstein at a screening of the film Capote in 2005
Lawyers for Ganieva then in September filed an amended complaint detailing the 'horrific experiences' of a Jane Doe who says she was violently raped by Black in 2002.
Ganieva's legal team said Jane Doe's experiences show that 'contrary to Black's version of events that he knew 'nothing' about Epstein's sexual wrongdoing, as alleged, Black was perpetrating his own sexual crimes at Epstein's home as far back as 2002.'
Black (pictured with wife Debra) already stands accused of years of 'bullying, threatening and pressure tactics,' to 'force' Ganieva's silence, according to a previous lawsuit (pictured in 2017)
Going a step further, the motion alleges that Black had a, 'long-standing relationship with Epstein for years…. that involved arranged massages with women for money at Epstein's home.'
According to the amended suit, the Jane Doe met Epstein 'sometime around 2000,' when she was introduced by an acquaintance, a Ukrainian woman.
Jane Doe alleged that a short while into her association with Epstein, she was violently assaulted by Black after he instructed her to give him a massage at Epstein's NYC home.
The suit claims that a 'huge' Black, standing more than 6ft 4in and weighing more than 300lbs, brutally raped her before paying her off.
Jane Doe is described as a single mother of 'limited financial means' and, it is alleged, Black, 'believed that his money could…silence [her] and nullify his behavior.'
Meanwhile, Black's legal team released a statement saying they are unaware of the reported criminal probe from the Manhattan DA's office and repeated Black's denial of any claims made against him.
'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.'
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