The legal action brought forth by a woman who accused billionaire Leon Black of raping her two decades ago at Jeffrey Epstein's Manhattan mansion has been concluded, as she has withdrawn her lawsuit against Apollo Global Management (APO.N).
Cheri Pierson opted to dismiss her allegations through what is known as a stipulation of discontinuance, which was filed with a New York state court in Manhattan on Thursday.
The dismissal is permanent, known as "with prejudice," meaning Pierson is barred from bringing the lawsuit again, and she forfeits her right to recover her expenses. Simultaneously, Black decided to withdraw a related appeal on Friday.
An attorney representing Pierson did not provide an immediate response to inquiries seeking comment. Meanwhile, Danya Perry, a legal representative for Black, confirmed the termination of Pierson's legal action.
Black's legal team vehemently refuted Pierson's accusations from the outset, deeming them groundless. In a statement conveyed by a spokesperson on Tuesday, Black stated, "I have never met Ms. Pierson. I have no further comment."
In her complaint filed in November 2022, Pierson asserted that Epstein arranged for her to provide Black with a massage in 2002 for a fee of $300. Pierson alleged that Black, who towers over her by 8 inches and outweighs her by more than double, physically overpowered her, causing "excruciating pain."
As of Tuesday, Black, aged 72, was estimated to have a net worth of $13.6 billion by Forbes magazine.
Furthermore, he is currently pursuing a lawsuit for malicious prosecution against the Wigdor law firm, which represented Pierson and two other women who accused Black of sexual assault, allegations he vehemently denies.
One of the accusers, former Russian model Guzel Ganieva, saw her lawsuit dismissed last May, while another lawsuit filed by an autistic woman who chose to remain anonymous is still pending.
Black departed from Apollo, the private equity firm, in 2021 after an external legal review revealed that he had paid Epstein $158 million for tax and estate planning purposes.
Additionally, he reached a settlement of $62.5 million with the U.S. Virgin Islands, where Epstein owned a residence, to preempt a potential lawsuit.
Epstein died by suicide in August 2019 while in custody awaiting trial for charges related to sex trafficking.
The legal matter is recorded as Pierson v Black in the New York State Supreme Court, New York County, under case number 952002/2022.
