The unsealed deposition of Victoria's Secret billionaireLes Wexnerhas finally shed light on his long-standing relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. Over five hours of intense questioning, the retail mogul addressed years of speculation regarding how much he knew about the financier's actions. These revelations offer a rare look into the private dealings of a man who once handed Epstein near-total control over his vast personal fortune.
The House Oversight Committee shared its lengthy interrogation of the New Albany billionaire and former L Brands chief as part of the Jeffrey Epstein probe. The session delved into the ties between the retail mogul and the convicted sex offender who passed away while in federal custody. Throughout the inquiry, the L Brands founder has remained free of any criminal allegations related to his history with the financier.
According to the testimony, the twomet throughmutual contacts in the mid-1980s. Wexner initially viewed him as nothing more than a typical individual. He stated they were never close and shared no private connection, noting that their talks almost always revolved around work.
According to the testimony, the billionaire and his wife, Abigail, ended their association after discovering that funds had been withdrawn from their accounts. This break coincided with the 2008 legal proceedings regarding the financier's criminal charges. Epstein had originally secured his position by claiming he handled affairs for the Rothschild family and held a high-level position at companies such as Bear Stearns.
The panel asked if any behaviour had ever hinted that the individual was involved in the abuse or trafficking of women. Wexner denied seeing any such signs, explaining that he had frequently reflected on their interactions to be sure. He testified, 'Absolutely not,' and told the committee, 'There's nothing I could recall.'
During the hearing, a committee member asked if the billionaire knew the extent of the suspected theft. Wexner replied that he was unaware of the amount and expressed doubt that he would ever find out.
The committee noted that Epstein managed a trust that got stock from Wexner's company, Limited. Epstein then sold that stock on the market and used the cash for his own purposes. Wexner said he was unaware of the situation and was 'effing surprised.'
BREAKING: Les Wexner’s attorney was caught on a hot mic telling him:“I’ll f*cking kill you if you answer another question with more than five words.”pic.twitter.com/YwtOXGvHAh
The investigator then mentioned a report stating that Epstein sold $1.3 billion (£970 million) in shares. Wexner maintained that he had no idea about this. Further questioning highlighted reports that Wexner's own charitable groups reportedly gave $20 million (£14.88 million) in stock or cash to one of Epstein's charities. When questioned on the matter, Wexner replied that he was 'effing shocked. I'm appalled. I never heard that.'
During the questioning, Wexner denied having sexual encounters with any individual brought to him by Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell. He further dismissed suggestions of a sexual bond with Epstein himself, asserting that he is 'very straight.'
Source: International Business Times UK
