Leslie Wexner, the founder of a multibillion-dollar apparel empire and once-celebrated businessman, now faces scrutiny for his long-standing relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. Despite his public image as a devoted family man, questions about his ties to Epstein have cast a shadow over his legacy.
Their connection began in the late 1980s, with Wexner granting Epstein full power of attorney and control over his personal and financial affairs just two years after they met. This move came despite warnings from Wexner’s longtime business partner, who labeled Epstein a “fraud” after their initial encounter.
In 1993, concerns about Epstein’s behavior surfaced at Victoria’s Secret. An executive reported that Epstein had been falsely presenting himself as a company scout to approach models, prompting a direct report to Wexner. There is no public record of any action taken in response.
Wexner continued to publicly praise Epstein even years later, describing him as possessing “excellent judgment and unusually high standards” and calling him “always a most loyal friend.”
Internal correspondence has since revealed alarming attempts by Epstein’s circle to intimidate his victims. In April 2008, as Epstein sought a lenient sentence, his private investigator, Robert Myers, tracked down one victim and threatened her: if she did not cooperate, “her name would somehow appear in the press.” Despite these actions, Epstein received maximum leniency. During the investigation, he was allowed to leave the United States under the pretext of a “scientific trip” to Israel for Passover, meeting with scientists and touring military bases. At the same time, his public representatives claimed that the alleged victims “acknowledged they lied about their age.”
Following Epstein’s death in 2019, the fallout for Wexner intensified. Internal investigations commissioned by his company, L Brands, examined the relationship, though the findings were never released. The repercussions were evident: Wexner resigned as CEO and eventually stepped down from the board, ending his formal involvement in the company he spent over five decades building.
