Key facts
- Plaintiff Jane Doe cited medical inability to continue her rape lawsuit against Leon Black.
- Doe alleged the assault occurred in 2002 when she was a teenager.
- Black's legal team stated the lawsuit was a "work of fiction" and that Doe's dismissal request was voluntary and without settlement.
- Black faces a criminal contempt resolution from the US House for defying subpoenas in an investigation into Jeffrey Epstein.
- Doe's former lawyers were sanctioned by the judge for "serious, sanctionable misconduct" and for "repeatedly lied to the court".
- The lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled.
A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit brought against private equity billionaire Leon Black after the plaintiff, identified as Jane Doe, stated she was medically incapable of continuing the litigation. Doe had accused Black of rape, alleging the assault occurred in 2002 when she was a teenager. She claimed in a legal filing that her request to dismiss the case was not a concession of truth but a reflection of her medical reality, citing risks of "acute psychiatric crisis, including suicide."
Black's legal team, including attorneys Susan Estrich and Michael Carlinsky, expressed satisfaction with the dismissal, reiterating claims that the lawsuit was fictional and should never have been filed. They noted that Doe's request was voluntary and made without any settlement or inducement from Black.
Separately, Black is facing a criminal contempt resolution from the US House of Representatives for defying subpoenas related to an investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. The House oversight committee is examining Epstein's relationships with powerful individuals and the government's handling of investigations into his activities. Black has denied wrongdoing, with his lawyers calling the congressional actions a "political witch-hunt."
Doe, who was representing herself, had previously been represented by lawyers at the Wigdor law firm, who withdrew in April 2025. The judge had previously sanctioned Doe and her former attorneys for "serious, sanctionable misconduct" and for lying to the court. Doe cited her autism and PTSD, along with exposure to graphic details during document review, as contributing factors to her inability to safely continue the litigation.