Lawmakers Renew Focus on Wexner in Epstein Case
Massie’s Allegation Revives Old Questions
Rep. Thomas Massie reignited scrutiny around the federal investigation into Jeffrey Epstein last week, alleging during a House hearing that the Department of Justice redacted key names in documents tied to the late financier’s sex trafficking case. Massie suggested that a prominent retail billionaire had been identified as a co-conspirator in government records and accused the DOJ of shielding him from accountability, calling the situation “bigger than Watergate.”
The comments cast renewed attention on Les Wexner, the former Victoria’s Secret owner whose decades-long association with Jeffrey Epstein has long been the subject of speculation. A review of released DOJ records shows Wexner’s name initially redacted in at least one co-conspirator document, though it appears elsewhere in hundreds of pages detailing investigative inquiries.
Investigative Scrutiny Over the Years
Federal records indicate authorities examined Wexner’s ties to Epstein both before and after Epstein’s 2008 guilty plea to state prostitution charges involving a minor, as well as during the 2019 federal sex trafficking case. Emails and memos show prosecutors sought to determine whether Wexner had knowledge of Epstein’s alleged payments to underage girls. He was subpoenaed in 2019, and investigators spoke with his attorneys.
An FBI document from that year labeled Wexner a “secondary” co-conspirator but noted limited evidence of involvement. Wexner has never been charged with a crime and has consistently denied wrongdoing. A spokesperson has said he cooperated with law enforcement and was informed in 2019 that he was neither a target nor co-conspirator.
Now 88, Wexner is scheduled to sit for a deposition before the House Oversight Committee in Ohio, giving lawmakers another opportunity to question him directly.
Financial Ties and Fallout
Epstein entered Wexner’s circle in the 1980s as a financial adviser. In 1991, Epstein obtained power of attorney over Wexner’s finances, allowing him broad authority to manage assets. Federal documents describe how Epstein allegedly transferred valuable properties to himself at discounted prices.
According to DOJ memos, Wexner later discovered that Epstein had misappropriated substantial funds. In 2008, Epstein agreed to return $100 million as part of a settlement, and Wexner severed ties. Even after that break, released correspondence shows Epstein continued attempting to contact or reference Wexner in subsequent years.
Allegations and Denials
Some records include claims made to the FBI alleging interactions between Wexner and young women in Epstein’s presence. One accuser stated during a civil deposition that she had been trafficked to Wexner, an allegation he denies. Other tips to investigators described Epstein and Wexner appearing together socially, though not all accounts included accusations of misconduct.
Wexner’s representatives have consistently rejected claims linking him to criminal conduct. They have emphasized that his relationship with Epstein was primarily professional and that he had no knowledge of illegal sexual activity.
Following Epstein’s 2019 arrest and subsequent death in custody, prosecutors shifted focus to alleged enablers. Ghislaine Maxwell was later convicted of sex trafficking minors. Recent congressional subpoenas signal continued efforts to examine financial and personal connections surrounding Epstein’s network.
