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Wexner testifies before House committee
Les Wexner, the billionaire former CEO of Victoria's Secret, described himself as "naive, foolish and gullible" for trusting Jeffrey Epstein during a closed-door deposition on Wednesday. The testimony was part of a House committee investigation into Epstein's financial and criminal activities.
Allegations of financial misconduct
In his opening statement, Wexner accused Epstein of stealing "vast sums" of money from his family while serving as his financial adviser. The retail magnate denied any knowledge of Epstein's illegal activities, stating he had been deceived by the late sex offender.
"I was naive, foolish and gullible to put any trust in Jeffrey Epstein. He was a conman. And while I was conned, I have done nothing wrong and have nothing to hide."
Les Wexner, in his opening statement
Lawmakers question Wexner's role
Democratic lawmakers, who traveled to Wexner's home state of Ohio for the deposition, suggested the billionaire enabled Epstein's wealth and crimes. Representative Robert Garcia of California told reporters, "There would be no Epstein island, no Epstein plane, no money to traffic women and girls without the support of Les Wexner."
No Republican lawmakers attended the session, though some staff members were present.
Wexner's relationship with Epstein
Their association began in the 1980s, and Wexner claimed he severed ties after Epstein was accused of sexually abusing children in Florida. However, Wexner admitted visiting Epstein's private island for "a few hours" with his family.
In his testimony, Wexner reiterated that he had no involvement in Epstein's crimes and was unaware of them. A spokesperson for the 88-year-old tycoon stated he "honestly answered every question" posed by the committee.
Legal and investigative context
Wexner was named as a potential co-conspirator in a 2019 FBI document, though no charges were ever filed against him. Deputy U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche noted Wexner's name appeared "thousands of times" in Epstein-related files.
Wexner's lawyers previously told the BBC that federal prosecutors in 2019 viewed him as a source of information rather than a target. They added that he fully cooperated by providing background details on Epstein and was never contacted again.
