In a deposition released this week by the U.S. House Oversight Committee, Ohio billionaire Les Wexner — founder and long-time chief of retail giant L Brands — faced hours of probing questions about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier convicted of sex crimes who died in federal custody in 2019. The session in New Albany, Ohio, was ordered after newly unredacted documents from the Epstein Files Transparency Act revealed Wexner’s name more than 1,000 times in correspondence and internal records.
Wexner, 88, has historically denied any knowledge of Epstein’s criminal conduct, calling him a “con man” and saying he was “conned” by the man he once trusted with his personal and corporate finances. He maintained in the deposition that he did not see, know, or participate in any illegal activity, stressing he had “nothing to hide.”
From Mall Magnate to International Scrutiny
Wexner’s rise began in 1963 when he opened a small shop in Columbus, Ohio with a loan from his aunt. Over decades he built The Limited into the sprawling L Brands empire, home to Victoria’s Secret, Express, and Bath & Body Works.
At a pivotal moment in the 1980s, Wexner met Epstein, who had cultivated elite financial circles. By the early 1990s, Epstein had become Wexner’s financial manager, granted power of attorney in 1991 — giving him sweeping control over investments, property deals, and estate matters. Epstein was even listed as a co-president of Wexner’s New Albany Company, a development venture transforming rural farmland into a gated suburb that became the Wexners’ base.
Epstein’s access grew: he handled major Wexner properties, including the famous Manhattan Herbert N. Straus House, which Wexner later transferred to Epstein at a discount in the mid-1990s. Epstein then resided there for years before his 2019 arrest.
Mounting Questions from New Documents
The recently released Epstein Files — millions of pages of Department of Justice and investigative material made public under the Epstein Files Transparency Act — have intensified scrutiny of Wexner. These documents include internal notes suggesting a deep financial entanglement, with an undated Epstein draft saying the two had “gang stuff” for 15 years” and each “owed” the other, though Wexner’s team disputes receipt of that note.
Epstein’s pilots have testified in federal probes that they were referred to his jets through connections tied to Wexner, and some lawsuits have alleged using company aircraft in questionable contexts — claims Wexner’s spokesperson has denied.
Congressional Pressure and Survivor Allegations
Lawmakers have pressed Wexner about whether financial support from him enabled Epstein’s wealth and thus his ability to commit crimes. Rep. Robert Garcia said Epstein’s wealth — including planes, real estate, and social capital — would have been far smaller without Wexner’s early patronage.
Survivors in court filings have also named Wexner among men to whom Epstein allegedly trafficked victims, though Wexner flatly denies ever meeting one prominent accuser, Virginia Giuffre.
Denials, Distance, and Deposition Drama
During the marathon deposition, Wexner repeatedly defended himself, stating he saw Epstein more as a professional adviser than a friend and claiming he never witnessed suspicious behavior. In video released by the Oversight panel, when asked about a humorous but risqué birthday book entry Wexner wrote for Epstein — complete with a crude drawing — the billionaire laughed awkwardly and called it just a joke.
At one point, Wexner’s own attorney was caught on audio jokingly warning him to answer concisely — a moment that underscored the tense nature of the five-hour session.
Aftermath: Fallout and Legacy Questions
Wexner stepped down from running L Brands in 2020 and left the board in 2021 amid mounting controversy over corporate culture and his connection to Epstein. Shareholders previously sued the company alleging a toxic environment and that Wexner breached fiduciary duties by enabling abusive behavior. L Brands agreed to a roughly $90 million settlement in related claims.
The deposition’s release has also fueled challenges to Wexner’s philanthropic honors, including efforts to remove his name from campus buildings at Ohio State University, where he served on the board while a campus doctor committed widespread abuse.
A Reputation in Question
While Wexner has not been charged with crimes, his testimony and the new files have reignited debate over the role wealthy patrons play in cultivating and empowering dangerous associates. As members of Congress and survivors push for fuller answers, Wexner’s legacy as a retail titan is now inseparable from his relationship with one of the most notorious figures in recent history.
What happens next: Lawmakers continue to review unredacted records, and additional high-profile witnesses are being sought. Wexner’s deposition marks just one chapter in the ongoing attempt to unravel the Epstein network’s financial and social underpinnings.
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