Leon Black defeats a lawsuit accusing a former rival of Apollo of conspiring

• Leon Black failed to convince a court.
• Ex-rival Josh Harris conspired with model Guzel Ganieva to spread false charges of sexual abuse against him.
• Both parties agree that the billionaire paid her millions of dollars over a number of years in exchange for her silence.

Leon Black, a wealthy financier, failed to convince a court that one of his top business rivals collaborated with a Russian fashion model to spread false charges of sexual abuse which led to his resignation as CEO of Apollo Global Management.

Thursday’s verdict by a federal judge in Manhattan leaves Black defending himself against a separate complaint in which his ex-mistress Guzel Ganieva claimed he attacked, intimidated, and coerced her into silence.

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It is a success for Josh Harris, the former Apollo executive whom Black accused of planning to overthrow him as CEO with the assistance of a “war council” comprised of major New York corporate heavyweights, including public relations executive Steven Rubenstein.

“[Black’s] allegations regarding Ganieva’s relationship with Harris are conclusory, vague, indirect, clever, and cute,” US district judge Paul Engelmayer wrote in the ruling. They are not factual, definite, particular, proclamatory, or reliable.

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In June of last year, Ganieva filed a lawsuit against Black in a New York state court, accusing him of assaulting her throughout their relationship and then harming her reputation by accusing her of extortion. Both parties agree that the billionaire paid her millions of dollars over a number of years in exchange for her silence.

In October of last year, Black filed a countersuit, alleging that Ganieva’s charges were part of a plot to allow Harris to take the helm at Apollo. Last year, both men left the company when another senior Apollo executive, Marc Rowan, ultimately won the tortuous succession battle.

A representative for Harris said he was “pleased the court swiftly and fairly dismissed the case and believe the decision speaks for itself”.