A high New York prosecutor who oversaw the dealing with of sexual assault allegations made by two ladies against Leon Black has taken a job at a boutique regulation agency that represents the billionaire financier.
The transfer by Joan Illuzzi-Orbon from the Manhattan district legal professional’s workplace to the two-partner agency of Perry Guha earlier this month has angered attorneys representing Black’s accusers. It additionally threatens to additional complicate the Apollo Global founder’s authorized battle together with his former mistress, who he has accused of extortion.
During a 33-year profession as a prosecutor Illuzzi-Orbon rose to grow to be chief of the trial division and secured the convictions of high-profile offenders, together with Hollywood impresario Harvey Weinstein.
No felony costs have been filed against Black. Illuzzi-Orbon’s new agency is defending Black against a civil lawsuit filed by ex-mistress Guzel Ganieva, who accuses him of abusing her throughout a seven-year relationship that began in 2008.
In a letter prompted by Illuzzi-Orbon’s appointment, Ganieva’s attorneys at regulation agency Wigdor demanded that Perry Guha withdraw from the case, in keeping with a number of individuals who described the contents to the Financial Times.
The letter insisted that Perry Guha should relinquish its function to guard the confidential information that Wigdor attorneys say they gave Illuzzi-Orbon and her employees when she was working for the Manhattan district legal professional, the folks added.
The dispute is a the newest improvement in a rare authorized battle over Black’s previous relationship with Ganieva, who he accused of working together with his enterprise rivals on a plot to break his popularity and wrestle management of his Apollo personal fairness empire.
It additionally throws a highlight on a New York law-enforcement institution that has been dogged by criticism over historic failures in instances involving distinguished figures, together with Weinstein.
Lawyers for Ganieva held discussions with Illuzzi-Orbon in her capability as a prosecutor, in keeping with an individual conversant in the dialog. Ganieva additionally mentioned Black with Illuzzi-Orbon’s employees, as did a second girl who claims she was mistreated by the billionaire, the particular person added.
The second girl, recognized in court docket filings beneath a pseudonym, has not filed a authorized grievance against Black, and her identification couldn’t be discovered.
Illuzzi-Orbon declined to touch upon law-enforcement issues. A consultant for Black stated he had acquired no contact from prosecutors about any allegations of sexual assault.
Wigdor stated in an announcement that victims mustn’t must worry that “prosecutors who are duty-bound to protect them end up working for firms that represent the accused”. The district legal professional’s workplace stated it was “a safe place to report crime”, including that every one New York attorneys, together with prosecutors and personal attorneys, are certain by strict moral guidelines.
Any procedural problem against Black’s attorneys would face a excessive bar. Professional guidelines permit regulation companies to rent authorities attorneys and proceed working for shoppers “even if the former government lawyer would himself be disqualified because of his work at the government agency”, stated Stephen Gillers, professor of regulation at New York University.
“Factually it’s unusual, insofar as the firm is very small,” he stated. “But the rule is the rule, and the rule doesn’t say that it applies only if the new firm is larger than a certain size.”
Perry Guha rejected Wigdor’s complaints. It stated Illuzzi-Orbon was taking part in no half in the agency’s illustration of Black and that it had taken routine steps to keep away from any battle of curiosity.
Illuzzi-Orbon “has the highest level of personal and professional integrity”, the agency added, and “attempts by Wigdor to impugn her ethics” have been “reprehensible”.
Since Ganieva went public along with her allegations against Black final yr, each side have sought to enlist the assist of New York prosecutors.
Brad Karp, chair of the Paul Weiss agency that has lengthy represented Black and Apollo, final yr referred to as Manhattan district legal professional Cyrus Vance to ask him to open an investigation into an alleged extortion plot involving Ganieva.
Vance instructed his prosecutors to look into the matter, the Financial Times has beforehand reported. No felony costs have been filed against Ganieva.
A federal choose earlier this yr threw out a lawsuit in which Black claimed that Ganieva had conspired with considered one of his high enterprise rivals to publicise made-up allegations of sexual abuse. The ruling is beneath enchantment.
Ganieva’s claims against Black for defamation and gender-motivated violence are pending in New York state court docket. Black’s attorneys have branded the lawsuit “a work of fiction”.
