A key deposition involving billionaire financier Leon Black has been postponed in a high-profile civil lawsuit accusing Bank of America of turning a blind eye to financial activity tied to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
A federal judge in Manhattan moved Black’s testimony to March 26, delaying it from the previously planned March 16 date. The shift came during a court hearing where Black’s legal team indicated that discussions between the bank and the women bringing the lawsuit may be approaching a resolution.
The case centers on allegations that the banking giant failed to act on suspicious financial transactions linked to Epstein. The plaintiffs claim those transactions helped facilitate the abuse they say they suffered.
The lawsuit, filed on behalf of women accusing Epstein of sexual exploitation, argues that the bank ignored warning signs tied to the disgraced financier’s activities. Earlier this year, the court allowed the case to proceed, ruling that the accusations — which contend the bank disregarded indications of sex trafficking — were strong enough to move forward as a proposed class action.
Despite the suggestion that settlement talks may be underway, attorneys for both the accusers and the bank expressed reservations in court about how those discussions were characterized, declining to confirm that a deal is imminent.
The case is currently slated to go to trial on May 11.
Black, a co-founder of Apollo Global Management, has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and has said he was unaware of Epstein’s criminal conduct during the period in question.
Epstein died in a Manhattan jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide by city medical authorities.
Legal battles linked to Epstein’s network have produced several major settlements in recent years. In 2023, accusers reached agreements with JPMorgan Chase and Deutsche Bank, though neither institution admitted liability.
Black stepped down as chief executive of Apollo in 2021 after an independent review found he had paid Epstein $158 million for tax and estate planning services.
