‘I was naive’: Former Victoria’s Secret CEO Les Wexner tells US lawmakers he was ‘conned’ by Epstein
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "‘I was naive’: Former Victoria’s Secret CEO Les Wexner tells US lawmakers he was ‘conned’ by Epstein")
Former Victoria’s Secret CEO Les Wexner Photograph: (AFP)
Retail tycoon Les Wexner told lawmakers he was “conned” by Jeffrey Epstein, denying knowledge of his crimes. He said he cut ties in 2007 and has never been charged in the federal probe.
Retail tycoon Les Wexner on Wednesday (Feb 18) told lawmakers that he was “conned” by Jeffrey Epstein, denying any knowledge of his crimes during a House Oversight Committee hearing as part of the investigation into the late sex offender and his associates. The former Victoria’s Secret CEO was subpoenaed after his links to Epstein surfaced following the release of millions of documents by the Department of Justice.
“I was naive, foolish, and gullible to put any trust in Jeffrey Epstein. He was a con man,” the 88-year-old said during his closed-door testimony. “While I was conned, I have done nothing wrong and have nothing to hide.”
Democratic lawmakers said Wexner downplayed the closeness of his relationship and provided few new details as they grilled him over his ties with Epstein. The lingerie magnate repeatedly said that he could not recall key events.
Despite only a few new details emerging from Wexner’s testimony, Congressman Robert Garcia of California said that it was important in understanding how Epstein amassed the wealth that funded his crimes.
“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 told reporters.
During the testimony, Wexner also denied having any sexual contact with Epstein victims, as alleged in the court filings.
Wexner met Epstein in the 1980s, with the former granting the sex offender power of attorney over his finances that enabled him to manage his investments and major property deals. Wexner is alleged to be Epstein’s primary client, who helped establish his stature in the elite circles.
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The former Victoria’s Secret CEO claims that he cut ties with Epstein in 2007 after learned he was charged with soliciting a minor and had stolen large sums from his family.
Wexner is not a target in the Epstein investigation and has never been charged with a crime, the DOJ said. His legal team said that he cooperated with federal authorities in 2019, the year Epstein was found dead in his jail cell.
