Leon Black, the founder of Apollo Global Management, has been dealt a setback in his legal battle as his malicious prosecution claim against Wigdor LLP was dismissed by a New York appellate court. Wigdor LLP is representing a woman who accused Black of sexual assault. This decision was issued by the New York Supreme Court First Appellate Department, which emphasized that Black’s claim did not meet the requisite evidence standards outlined under the anti-Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Petition and Participation (anti-SLAPP) law.
The anti-SLAPP statute mandates that plaintiffs provide substantial evidence, such as affidavits, rather than merely relying on allegations stated in their complaints. The appellate court’s unauthored opinion underscored this requirement, leading to the dismissal of Black’s lawsuit.
For further details on the ruling, see the full report on Bloomberg Law.