By Billionaire retail magnate Les Wexner denied any wrongdoing Wednesday during a six-hour, closed-door deposition before the House Oversight Committee, insisting he was deceived by disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein and had no knowledge of his criminal conduct.
Wexner, 88, the founder and former CEO of L Brands, testified under subpoena at his home in New Albany, Ohio. In a prepared statement provided to media outlets, he described Epstein as a “world-class con man” who “lived a double life” while carefully concealing his crimes.
“I have done nothing wrong and have nothing to hide,” Wexner asserted. “I completely and irrevocably cut ties with Epstein nearly twenty years ago when I learned that he was an abuser, a crook, and a liar. And, let me be crystal clear: I never witnessed nor had any knowledge of Epstein’s criminal activity.”
Wexner managed his personal finances through Epstein for more than a decade beginning in the 1990s. He said he severed the relationship in 2007 after Epstein faced charges in Florida for soliciting prostitution from a minor. According to Wexner’s statement, his wife, Abigail, uncovered financial irregularities after reviewing family records and discovered Epstein had “stolen vast sums” from them.
“Once I learned of his abusive conduct and theft from my family, I never spoke with Epstein again. Never,” Wexner said.
He detailed steps taken in September 2007 to revoke Epstein’s power of attorney, remove his access to accounts, and force his resignation from affiliated entities. Epstein later returned what Wexner described as a substantial amount of money, while continuing to maintain his innocence.
Wexner also addressed allegations that surfaced in a 2019 FBI internal document labeling him a possible “co-conspirator.” He rejected that characterization and said he was introduced to Epstein in the mid- to late-1980s through executives at Bear Stearns and a member of the Rothschild family. Epstein initially provided financial advice informally and without compensation, Wexner said, building trust over time.
“Little did I realize that, from the very start, Epstein was conniving to gain my trust,” Wexner wrote.
The deposition also touched on claims made by Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre, who alleged in prior testimony that she had been forced to have sex with Wexner. He forcefully denied the accusation, NBC News reported.
“I dated Abigail for three years and have been married to her for 33 years. We are completely devoted to each other. To be clear, never once in 36 years have I been unfaithful to Abigail in any way, shape, or form. Never. Any suggestion to the contrary is absolutely and entirely false.”
A committee spokeswoman confirmed that Wexner “answered every question asked of him” and said video and transcripts of the session would be released in the coming days.
Democrats on the committee expressed skepticism about Wexner’s account. Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) accused Wexner of attempting to minimize the extent of his relationship with Epstein.
“There would be no Epstein island, there’d be no Epstein plane, there would be no money to traffic women and girls, Mr. Epstein would not be the wealthy man he was, without the support of Les Wexner,” Garcia said.
Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.) added: “There’s no question in my mind, given the evidence so far, that Les Wexner knew about this and failed to stop it.”
Other Democrats present included Reps. Rashida Tlaib, Jasmine Crockett, Yassamin Ansari, and Dave Min. No Republicans attended the session.
Wexner has never been charged with any crime related to Epstein. A spokesperson said that in 2019, an Assistant U.S. Attorney informed Wexner’s legal counsel that he was “neither a co-conspirator nor target in any respect” after providing background information to investigators.
The renewed scrutiny has also intensified debate over Wexner’s philanthropic legacy, particularly his long-standing relationship with The Ohio State University. Wexner chairs the Wexner Medical Center Board and has funded multiple facilities bearing his name.
Calls have grown to remove his name from campus buildings, including the medical center. The Ohio Nurses’ Association recently urged the university to take action, arguing that maintaining the association risks retraumatizing survivors.
Wexner, founder of L Brands and developer of New Albany, remains one of Ohio’s most prominent business figures. Yet nearly two decades after cutting ties with Epstein, the shadow of that relationship continues to follow him — now under oath and before Congress.
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