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Home News Leon Black Wins Defamation Appeal In New York Court

Leon Black Wins Defamation Appeal In New York Court

by Celia

Billionaire investor Leon Black emerged victorious in a defamation appeal on Thursday, with a New York state appeals court siding in his favor. The court rejected a defamation lawsuit filed by Guzel Ganieva, who had also accused the Apollo Global Management co-founder of rape and sexual abuse.

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In a 4-1 decision, the Appellate Division in Manhattan ruled that Ganieva’s non-disclosure agreement (NDA) from October 2015 covered all her claims against Black, including accusations of defamation. The court further concluded that even if Ganieva had signed the agreement under duress, she had “ratified” it by accepting $9 million from Black, including a $100,000 monthly stipend, before filing her lawsuit in June 2021.

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The majority opinion acknowledged the trauma that can result from sexual abuse but disagreed with the dissenting judge’s view that Ganieva should be allowed to repudiate the contract after benefiting from it for over five years.

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Black has consistently denied Ganieva’s claims, including accusations that she extorted him. The lawsuit stemmed from a March 2021 interview in which Black acknowledged a consensual affair with Ganieva but stated that she had attempted to extort him through threats of going public with their relationship.

The case has been a lengthy legal battle, with a trial judge previously dismissing Ganieva’s claims in May 2023. Black, who is 73 and has a net worth of $17.1 billion according to Forbes, is also facing a separate lawsuit in Manhattan. In that case, an autistic woman alleges he raped her in financier Jeffrey Epstein’s mansion in 2002 when she was 16. Black’s attorneys have vehemently denied these claims as well.

In a statement, Susan Estrich, Black’s attorney, expressed confidence in the outcome, saying the decision “vindicates Mr. Black completely.”

The case, Ganieva v. Black, is being heard in the New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, 1st Department (No. 2023-05694).

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