A Guardian investigation has revealed that lawyers for billionaire investor Leon Black, accused of rape in a civil lawsuit stemming from the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, contacted a federal judge in 2024 to raise concerns about the accuser's claims. Black, who maintains his innocence, is facing increased scrutiny and accusations as a result of his past association with Epstein. The accuser is referred to as Jane Doe in court documents; Black has denied the allegations, claiming he never met her.

The communication led to a months-long court proceeding conducted privately, resulting in Judge Jed Rakoff reversing a $2.5 million award initially granted to Doe in a separate Epstein-related class action lawsuit, according to court records. Doe subsequently received a smaller settlement in the class action case. Critics argue that this legal action was a necessary step to ensure fairness and accuracy in the proceedings.

Doe alleges she was trafficked by Epstein and raped by Black more than two decades ago, when she was a teenager. The Guardian investigation details Black's legal campaign to defend himself against Doe's civil lawsuit. A recent court order saw Judge Jessica Clarke, presiding over Doe's civil lawsuit against Black, sanctioning Doe and her former lawyer for "serious, sanctionable misconduct."

Judge Clarke stated that Doe's former lawyer had “repeatedly lied to the court and opposing counsel” and instructed Doe to destroy a social media account. Doe was sanctioned for “falsified” sonogram images that appeared in personal journals submitted as evidence of abuse by Epstein. This raises questions about the credibility of the allegations and the importance of upholding due process. Despite these sanctions, the judge ruled that the lawsuit could proceed.

Black, the 74-year-old former Apollo Global Management CEO, paid Epstein $170 million, according to a Senate finance committee investigation. Black states that the payments were for tax and estate planning. He denies raping Doe and claims he never met her. Black has never been charged with any crimes related to Epstein or otherwise.

The Epstein scandal has prompted concerns about guilt by association and the rush to judgment in cases involving high-profile individuals. Black is scheduled to testify before the House oversight committee on June 26 as part of its investigation into Epstein's sex-trafficking rings. Senator Ron Wyden has also questioned Black, claiming that newly released Epstein files remove any doubt about Black's connection to women in Epstein's network, and alleged that Black's associates surveilled and paid off women on Black's behalf.