Jeffrey Epstein bombarded billionaire Leon Black with aggressive emails, pushing him to fork over millions annually to maintain his extravagant lifestyle.
The notorious financier and sex offender expressed concerns that Black’s financial advisors and their, uh, “challenged” offspring were creating significant chaos to cut off his funding, as reported in emails revealed by The New York Times.
In a November 2, 2015 email to Black, the founder of Apollo Global Management, Epstein stated, “I don’t want to have any more uncomfortable moments with you about money. It’s very unpleasant.”
Epstein laid out his demands: “Just to be clear, my conditions are as follows: I will only work for the usual 40 million a year. 25 million will have to be paid at the time of signing the contract. 5 million every two months thereafter for 6 months, that is from March to June. This can start in January if possible. If payment is not received, I will stop working immediately.”
The emails from 2015 and 2016 showcased the close ties between Epstein and Black, with both being friends and business partners.
Black, now 74, had employed Epstein as a wealth advisor, consulting him on a range of issues from tax matters to managing his art collection.
Over the years, Epstein received more than $150 million from Black, despite Epstein’s earlier arrest in 2004 for sexually abusing a minor, leading to his placement on the sex offender registry.
However, by 2016, it appeared that Black was hesitant to continue funding Epstein’s lifestyle. The Times indicated that Epstein became agitated, sending a flood of emails through his assistant amid a prolonged dispute.
In one email, Epstein criticized Black’s other advisors as being “a waste of money and space,” suggesting they had created a “truly dangerous mess.”
He even referred to Black’s children in an unflattering way, blaming them for complicating his financial situation.
After months of pressure, Epstein softened, telling Black, “Of course, when it comes to non-financial matters, I will always be there for you and will continue to be your best friend in any way I can.”
Though the Times did not access Black’s reply, it seems Epstein’s efforts were effective. Black kept supporting Epstein with millions in fees and loans until Epstein’s arrest in 2019 for a prolonged sex trafficking operation.
Black’s ties with Epstein led to his exit from Apollo in 2021. Although he maintained ignorance of Epstein’s illicit actions, he faced allegations regarding his own conduct.
A woman accused Black of assaulting her at Epstein’s Manhattan home, but later dropped the lawsuit. Another ex-girlfriend claimed he assaulted her too, prompting Black to seek advice on potentially compensating her to remain silent, according to court documents and emails obtained by the Times.
The case was dismissed as the judge ruled that the woman couldn’t continue after receiving $9.5 million from Black as part of a non-disclosure agreement during their six-year relationship.
Moreover, Black allegedly sent large sums to at least three women involved with Epstein for unspecified reasons.
Black’s lawyer, Susan Estrich, defended him by claiming all payments made to Epstein were strictly for legitimate tax and estate planning services, a conclusion backed by an investigation from an external law firm hired by Apollo.
“The Dechert Law Firm concluded that Mr. Black paid Mr. Epstein only for tax and estate planning advice that saved Mr. Epstein and his family billions of dollars. The implication that he had any influence is false and unreasonable. In fact, it was Mr. Black who fired Mr. Epstein because he believed that Mr. Epstein was disruptive and that his fees were excessive,” Estrich stated.
She added that the Dechert report asserted Black had no knowledge of Epstein’s criminal activities and insisted that Black had never harmed any women.
Black’s spokesperson, Whit Clay, relayed that the billionaire “deeply regrets” the financial ties he had with Epstein.
