Russian model; alleged rape victim of Leon Black. Introduced into Jeffrey Epstein's network by Jeffrey Epstein himself (2010). Jeffrey Epstein's associates surveilled her movements and relationships for years. Center of a protracted financial and legal battle: Leon Black paid her a $9.5M NDA (later publicly reported), while Jeffrey Epstein used her situation as leverage, via Paul Weiss chair Brad Karp, to pressure Black over unpaid fees. Black blamed Jeffrey Epstein and Karp: 'with guzel it was you and Karp that were out of control.' Ganieva later violated the NDA, filed a public lawsuit (Ganieva v. Black), and gave an FBI interview with attorney Gloria Allred. The NDA was upheld and her case dismissed (2022).
Key Findings
- EFTA02411660 (Jun 18, 2010): Jeffrey Epstein introduces Ganieva to someone: 'just give him guzell is her name' - she enters Jeffrey Epstein's network at least as early as 2010.
- EFTA02476968 / EFTA00837773 (2015 financial memo): 'two months later we were dealing on a daily basis with Guzel issues and the transaction was put on the back burner' - a major Black-Jeffrey Epstein financial transaction was delayed by the ongoing Guzel situation, showing her centrality to the relationship.
- EFTA02369874 / EFTA02494432 / EFTA00637374 / EFTA00716398 / EFTA00840701 (mid-2015): Multiple emails in which Jeffrey Epstein's network tracked Ganieva's whereabouts, social connections, and who she was sleeping with. Jeffrey Epstein asks: 'and did we find out any more about guzel?' Network source: 'Crazy [redacted] was staying at Gilles Bensimon's house and was having sex with another guy.'
- EFTA01614947 (iMessage, Aug 2015): 'Did you once tell me you knew Guzel? Or was it Mark?' - third party asking Jeffrey Epstein about Ganieva, indicating she was known across Jeffrey Epstein's wider network.
- EFTA00590679 (Nardello one-party consent recording, 2015): During a covert recording of Black's associate, the source says '[She] always used to ask me, "How are things with Guzel?"' - Ganieva's name circulating in Black's inner circle.
- EFTA02618310 (Oct 18, 2018, iMessage): 'Guzel is in NY. She bought an apartment at AOL building (Columbus circle) and her son is at the best private school; got 50 mil from my big [OCR: mr big] or his wife' - refers to Leon Black ('Mr Big') and Debra Black ('his wife') as sources of payment.
- EFTA01018783 (Oct 23, 2018): Jeffrey Epstein writes: 'if guzel needs a guarantee, he can use payments to me so that his office is kept unaware' - proposing that Black use Jeffrey Epstein fee payments as cover for Ganieva guarantees, keeping Apollo Global Management uninformed.
- EFTA02618544 (Oct 25, 2018, Jeffrey Epstein → Brad Karp): 'I would ask that you tell him... Or we need more for guzel. It is there.' - Jeffrey Epstein uses Ganieva as explicit leverage while pressuring Leon Black for unpaid fees through Paul Weiss chair Brad Karp.
- EFTA02653970 (Mar 29, 2017, Jeffrey Epstein → Karp): Jeffrey Epstein relays Black's message: 'after telling him to be careful regarding new situations I received a [message]: with guzel it was you and Karp that were out of control - not me!!!' - Black blamed Jeffrey Epstein and Karp for the Ganieva situation. Karp replied: 'Oh dear.'
- EFTA02607840 (Jan 14, 2019): 'Donald who introduced Guzel to mr big will be there too, but I don't think they are friends anymore (Alisa said Debra had attacked him in the street for making the introduction)' - 'mr big' = Leon Black; 'Debra' = Debra Black; Debra reportedly confronted the introducer physically.
- EFTA02607630 (Jan 14, 2019): 'No news from Guzel. Elena Ulanaky, allegedly supported by mr big, is dating Sue's ex' - Ganieva referenced alongside another woman in the same network ('mr big' = Leon Black).
- EFTA01684465 (FBI interview, 2024): Ganieva interviewed by FBI and SDNY AUSAs with attorney Gloria Allred present.
- CourtListener: Ganieva v. Black (NY Sup. Ct.), public lawsuit filed after violating the $9.5M NDA. Case dismissed (2022); upheld on appeal as Black v. Ganieva, 619 F. Supp. 3d 309 (S.D.N.Y. 2022), aff'd 2023 WL 2317173 (2d Cir. Mar. 2, 2023).