Black’s Apollo Exit Follows ‘Deeply Trying’ Fallout Over Epstein

For Leon Black, it all got to be too much.

The man who built one of the most ruthless money-making machines in Wall Street history unexpectedly left his Apollo Global Management Inc. on Sunday, handing over the reins to one of his proteges, Marc Rowan, and a former U.S. regulator.

It’s a stunning turn for the 69-year-old, who for decades ran Apollo as an extension of himself -- combative, immovable and wildly successful. But after more than a year of scandal surrounding his ties with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, which had already led to him agreeing ...