The billionaire behind the retail empire that when blanketed procuring malls with names similar to Victoria’s Secret and Abercrombie & Fitch informed members of Congress on Wednesday that he was “duped by a world-class con man” — shut monetary adviser Jeffrey Epstein. Les Wexner additionally denied figuring out in regards to the late intercourse offender’s crimes or taking part in Epstein’s abuse of ladies and younger girls.
“I was naive, silly, and gullible to place any belief in Jeffrey Epstein. He was a con man. And whereas I was conned, I’ve performed nothing improper and don’t have anything to cover,” the 88-year-old retired founding father of L Manufacturers mentioned in a press release submitted to the Home Oversight Committee earlier than an interview performed at his huge central Ohio property. Democrats had subpoenaed him after the newest Justice Division launch of Epstein-related paperwork revealed new particulars about Wexner’s relationship with the well-connected financier.
Wexner described himself to the lawmakers as a philanthropist, neighborhood builder and grandfather who all the time strove “to dwell my life in an moral method according to my ethical compass,” based on the assertion. He mentioned he was keen “to set the report straight” about his ties with Epstein. Their relation ended bitterly in 2007, after the Wexners found he’d been stealing from them.
As certainly one of Epstein’s most outstanding former buddies, Wexner has spent years answering for his or her decades-long affiliation and he sought to make use of the continuing to dispel what he known as “outrageous unfaithful statements and hurtful rumor, innuendo, and hypothesis” which have shadowed him.
Rep. Robert Garcia, a California Democrat who sat in on Wednesday’s interview, expressed skepticism in feedback to reporters gathered close to the continuing.
“There isn’t any single individual that was extra concerned in offering Jeffrey Epstein with the monetary help to commit his crimes than Les Wexner,” he mentioned.
In response to allegations by the outstanding late Epstein sufferer Virginia Giuffre, who claimed in court docket paperwork that Wexner was amongst males Epstein trafficked her to, Wexner testified to utter devotion to his spouse of 33 years, Abigail. He mentioned he’d by no means as soon as been untrue “in any means, form, or kind. By no means. Any suggestion on the contrary is completely and totally false.”
Wexner’s identify seems greater than 1,000 instances within the Epstein information, which doesn’t suggest guilt and Wexner has by no means been charged with any crimes. His spokesperson mentioned the variety of mentions is just not surprising given their long-running ties.
‘A most loyal buddy’
Epstein first met Leslie Wexner by a enterprise affiliate round 1986.
It was an opportune time for Wexner’s funds. The Ohio enterprise proprietor had grown a single Restricted retailer in Columbus into a collection of Eighties mall staples: The Restricted, Restricted Categorical, Lane Bryant and Victoria’s Secret. Tub & Physique Works, Abercrombie & Fitch, Lerner, White Barn Candle Co. and Henri Bendel would observe.
Wexner informed lawmakers that it was a number of years earlier than he turned over administration of his huge fortune to Epstein, after the “grasp manipulator” connived to achieve his belief. He gave Epstein energy of legal professional in 1991, permitting Epstein to make investments and do enterprise offers and to buy property and assist Wexner as he developed New Albany from a small rural metropolis to a thriving upscale Columbus suburb.
Epstein had “glorious judgment and unusually excessive requirements,” Wexner informed Self-importance Truthful in a 2003 interview, and he was “all the time a most loyal buddy.”
On Wednesday, the billionaire mentioned he didn’t flow into in Epstein’s social circle, however usually heard accounts of his encounters with different rich individuals.
Epstein “fastidiously used his acquaintance with vital people to curate an aura of legitimacy,” Wexner mentioned. He mentioned he visited Epstein’s notorious island solely as soon as, stopping for a couple of hours one morning along with his spouse and younger kids whereas they have been cruising on their boat.
“It’s fascinating that Mr Wexner has already begun to make clear in his thoughts that by some means he and Mr. Epstein weren’t even buddies,” Garcia informed reporters. “We ought to be very clear that the 2 have been very shut, per reporting. They spent quite a lot of time collectively.”
Epstein remembers ‘gang stuff’
In one of many newly launched paperwork, Epstein despatched tough notes to himself about Wexner saying: “by no means ever, did something with out informing les” and “I might by no means give him up.” One other doc, an obvious draft letter to Wexner, mentioned the 2 “had ‘gang stuff’ for over 15 years” and have been mutually indebted to one another — as Wexner helped make Epstein wealthy and Epstein helped make Wexner richer.
Wexner spokesperson Tom Davies mentioned Wexner by no means obtained the letter, characterizing it as becoming “a sample of unfaithful, outlandish, and delusional statements made by Epstein in determined makes an attempt to perpetuate his lies and justify his misconduct.”
Wexner informed the congressional representatives that Epstein “lived a double life,” presenting himself to his rich purchasers as a monetary guru with regular girlfriends whereas “most fastidiously and absolutely” hiding his misdeeds with underage women. “He knew that I by no means would have tolerated his horrible conduct. Not any of it,” he mentioned.
Exploiting an attractive model
Some accusers mentioned Epstein touted his ties to Wexner and claimed that he may assist get them jobs modeling for the Victoria’s Secret catalog.
One lady, an aspiring actor and mannequin, informed the FBI that Epstein mentioned he was greatest buddies with the longtime Victoria’s Secret proprietor and that she’d should study to be snug in her underwear and not be a prude, based on not too long ago launched grand jury testimony. One other lady mentioned she reported Epstein to police in 1997 after he groped her throughout what she thought was a modeling interview for the Victoria’s Secret catalog. After Epstein’s 2019 arrest, Wexner’s attorneys informed investigators that the businessman had heard a rumor that Epstein could be holding himself out as related to Victoria’s Secret, prosecutors wrote in a not too long ago disclosed memorandum summarizing the probe. When Wexner requested Epstein about it, Epstein denied doing so, the attorneys mentioned, based on the memo.
Wexner didn’t tackle the precise problem in his assertion Wednesday, however repeatedly lamented being deceived by Epstein — “an abuser, a criminal, and a liar.” L Manufacturers offered off Victoria’s Secret in 2020, in certainly one of Wexner’s ultimate acts as chair.
A relationship unravels
Wexner didn’t publicly reveal till after Epstein’s arrest on federal intercourse trafficking prices in July 2019 that he had severed their relationship. In a Wexner Basis letter that August, he mentioned that occurred in 2007. However the Justice Division’s newly launched data present the 2 have been in contact after that.
Wexner e-mailed Epstein on June 26, 2008, after a plea deal was introduced that might require him to serve 18 months in a Florida jail on a state cost of soliciting prostitution from a minor with a purpose to keep away from federal prosecution. He wound up serving 13 months.
“Abigail informed me the consequence … all I can say is I really feel sorry. You violated your personal #1 rule … all the time watch out,” Wexner wrote. Epstein replied: “no excuse.”
Davies mentioned the 2007 date Wexner cited in 2019 utilized to firing Epstein as monetary adviser, revoking his energy of legal professional and eradicating his identify from Wexner’s financial institution accounts.
Wexner additionally mentioned within the 2019 letter that Epstein had misappropriated “huge sums” of his and his household’s fortune whereas overseeing his funds. An investigative memo from the most recent doc launch says that Wexner’s attorneys informed investigators in 2008 that Epstein had repaid him $100 million. Wexner mentioned in Wednesday’s assertion that Epstein returned “a considerable quantity” of the undisclosed complete.
Garcia mentioned that congressional investigators have recognized greater than $1 billion that was “both transferred, offered in shares or given instantly” by Wexner to Epstein — although Wexner “seems to be unaware” of a lot of it.
Persevering with fallout for Wexner
On Wednesday, Wexner testified that he had by no means seen Epstein with any younger women and acknowledged the “unfathomable” ache he inflicted, at the same time as discoveries within the Epstein information have positioned new strain on him.
One survivor, Maria Farmer, mentioned a redacted FBI report contained within the doc launch vindicated her longstanding declare that she filed one of many earliest complaints in opposition to Epstein whereas she was beneath his make use of in 1996 engaged on an artwork undertaking on the Wexners’ property.
In the meantime, survivors of a sweeping sexual abuse scandal on the Ohio State College are citing Wexner’s affiliation with Epstein to attempt to get his identify faraway from a campus soccer complicated and college nurses additionally need his identify scrubbed from the Wexner Medical Heart.
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AP journalists Michael Sisak in New York and Patrick Aftoora-Orsagos in New Albany contributed to this report.
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