Billionaire Les Wexner to Testify Before Congress on Epstein Ties
The billionaire owner of the Victoria's Secret lingerie brand, Les Wexner, is scheduled to testify on Wednesday before Congress regarding his ties to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. Wexner is among several Epstein associates who have been subpoenaed by the House oversight committee as part of its continued investigation into Epstein's criminal activities.
Closed-Door Deposition and Denials of Misconduct
Wexner's testimony will occur during a closed-door deposition. He has consistently denied any misconduct related to Epstein. While his team did not immediately respond to requests for comment, a legal representative previously stated that Wexner would cooperate fully with any governmental inquiry into Epstein.
The fashion magnate hired Epstein in 1991 to manage his finances. Wexner has maintained that he severed ties with Epstein in 2007, prior to Epstein pleading guilty to Florida state-level prostitution charges in 2008. Additionally, Wexner claimed that Epstein "misappropriated" $46 million of his assets after their business relationship concluded.
Epstein's Financial Success and Congressional Subpoenas
According to a 2019 report by The Wall Street Journal, Wexner played an integral role in Epstein's financial success. Epstein reportedly earned $200 million from his dealings with Wexner. This highlights the significant financial connections between the two individuals.
Wexner is not alone in being subpoenaed by Congress. Other notable figures with close ties to Epstein have also been called to testify. For instance, Ghislaine Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for trafficking teen girls for Epstein, refused to answer questions during her deposition last week.
Maxwell's attorney, David Oscar Markus, issued a statement explaining that she invoked her right to remain silent due to her ongoing legal battle against her conviction. He claimed that Maxwell "is prepared to speak fully and honestly if granted clemency by President Trump."
Broader Congressional Investigation and Transparency Efforts
The oversight committee has also subpoenaed Bill and Hillary Clinton. Former President Bill Clinton has publicly acknowledged flying on Epstein's airplane in the early 2000s for humanitarian work but insisted he never visited Epstein's private island.
In November of last year, Congress passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which mandated that the Justice Department release all investigative files into Epstein within 30 days. To date, several tranches of documents have been released, including a sprawling 3.5 million-page release on January 30. However, transparency advocates argue that potentially millions of pages remain undisclosed, raising concerns about the completeness of the investigation.
An undated image from a 2003 book celebrating Epstein's 50th birthday shows Jeffrey Epstein with a man who appears to be Les Wexner at the center, alongside a person whose face has been redacted. This photograph, provided by the US Department of Justice, underscores the social connections under scrutiny.
