A Russian former model named Guzel Ganieva alleged that Leon Black, a prominent American billionaire and investor, brought her to Florida in October 2008 “to satisfy the sex needs” of Jeffrey Epstein, his “best friend”, Vanity Fair reports.
According to the media outlet, a lawsuit filed by Ganieva in June alleges that, having invited her for lunch in Manhattan, Black instead took her to Florida on a private jet, telling her to keep quiet about the trip and threatening to frame her for drug possession if she wouldn’t.
"Black specifically used heroin as an example of an illicit drug that would be problematic for her if he planted it on her," the lawsuit says.
Upon their arrival at Epstein’s mansion in Palm Beach, Black and Ganieva were greeted by Epstein’s assistant Sarah Kellen, the model reportedly said.
During the following encounter, Ganieva allegedly found herself before Black and Epstein who "were situated close to one another, each facing Ms. Ganieva while in almost supine positions, as if they were waiting for her to get on top of them."
"Indeed, Black indicated with his eyes that he wanted Ms. Ganieva to come and lay in between him and Epstein," the lawsuit states. "Alarmed and shocked, Ms. Ganieva remembers standing in front of them, unable to say anything while they just stared up at her, saying nothing, but clearly expecting her to do something...As she continued to stand there in silence, Black became visibly annoyed. He eventually told her to leave the room."
Ganieva then allegedly went to the living room where she had a conversation with Kellen.
"You have to understand that [Jeffrey and Leon] are sex addicts," Kellen allegedly told her. "You have to let them do whatever they want with you, and you have to let them be with multiple sexual partners if that’s what they want. They are very powerful, and if you don’t do what they want you to do, there will be consequences that I do not want for you."
The lawsuit also alleges that, during the following years, Black performed “sadistic” sex acts on Ganieva and attempted to pressure her into having threesomes.
In 2014, Black also allegedly told Ganieva that she is "too old for [Epstein], he likes them young"; the billionaire also allegedly often brought up Epstein in conversation and frequently texted him in Ganieva’s presence.
The media outlet points out, however, that last month Black’s lawyers filed a response to Ganieva’s lawsuit which they branded as "a work of fiction". Black’s lawyers also stated that Ganieva extorted their client, and even suggested that she may be working for "a third party who might wish Mr. Black ill".
Previously, an investigation by the board of directors of private equity firm Apollo Global Management reportedly discovered that Leon Black, the company’s co-founder, paid Epstein $158 million in fees between 2012 and 2017, "after Epstein pleaded guilty to soliciting prostitution from a teenage girl".