A federal judge has delivered a stinging rebuke to the legal team representing a woman accusing billionaire Leon Black of sexual assault, a case deeply intertwined with the crimes of Jeffrey Epstein. While stopping short of dismissing the lawsuit entirely, Judge Jessica Clarke detailed a pattern of serious misconduct by attorney Jeanne Christensen and her firm, Wigdor LLP.
The 76-page ruling accuses Christensen of repeatedly misleading the court and opposing counsel regarding a related legal matter. Critically, the judge found that Christensen directed her client to delete a social media account containing potentially vital evidence. The judge acknowledged the severity of these actions, stating she “strongly considered” dismissing the case altogether.
At the heart of the lawsuit is a harrowing allegation: that Leon Black, co-founder of Apollo Global Management, raped a 16-year-old girl in New York City in 2002. The accuser, known only as “Jane Doe,” claims she was a victim of Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, trafficked to numerous men, including Black, after years of abuse and grooming.
The judge’s concerns extended beyond the legal maneuvering to the evidence itself. A significant portion of the plaintiff’s supporting documentation, including sonogram images found within personal journals, was determined to be falsified. This discovery casts a long shadow over the reliability of key elements of the case.
The plaintiff’s claims are particularly disturbing, alleging she was subjected to a horrific ordeal described as an “impregnation game.” She testified that she was forced to carry pregnancies resulting from sexual abuse, with Maxwell allegedly documenting her changing body throughout. The sonograms were presented as proof of these pregnancies, both those carried to term and those terminated.
Judge Clarke imposed significant sanctions. Christensen must disclose this misconduct ruling in all future federal cases within the Second Circuit for a year, and for five years whenever sanctions are sought against her, her firm, or her client. Wigdor LLP is responsible for covering the defendant’s legal fees related to the sanctions motion, and the falsified journals are inadmissible as evidence.
Wigdor LLP, while expressing disappointment with the sanctions, emphasized that the case continues. Founder Douglas Wigdor stated they were “pleased that our former client will get her day in court.” However, Black’s attorney, Susan Estrich, argued the plaintiff’s credibility is irrevocably damaged and demanded the case be withdrawn.
Estrich went further, calling for a full investigation into what she described as a deliberate “fraud on the Court.” She urged authorities to pursue charges related to the fabricated evidence and suggested the plaintiff issue a formal apology to Mr. Black. Black himself has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
This case unfolds against the backdrop of the ongoing fallout from the Epstein scandal. Black, who stepped down from Apollo Global Management in 2021, is scheduled to testify before the House Oversight Committee next month regarding his connections to Epstein and Maxwell. Epstein’s death in jail in 2019 and Maxwell’s current 20-year prison sentence continue to fuel investigations and legal battles.
The judge’s ruling represents a critical juncture in this complex case, raising serious questions about the integrity of the evidence presented and the conduct of the plaintiff’s former legal team. The future of the lawsuit, and the pursuit of justice for the accuser, now hangs in the balance.
