NEW ALBANY, Ohio (AP) 鈥� The billionaire behind the retail empire that once blanketed shopping malls with names such as Victoria鈥檚 Secret and Abercrombie & Fitch told members of Congress on Wednesday that he was 鈥渄uped by a world-class con man鈥� 鈥� close financial adviser . Les Wexner also denied knowing about the late sex offender鈥檚 crimes or participating in Epstein鈥檚 abuse of girls and young women.
鈥淚 was naive, foolish, and gullible to put any trust in Jeffrey Epstein. He was a con man. And while I was conned, I have done nothing wrong and have nothing to hide,鈥� the 88-year-old retired founder of L Brands said in a statement to the House Oversight and Reform Committee released before his interview.
The panel’s Democrats had after the of Epstein-related documents revealed new details about Wexner鈥檚 relationship with the well-connected financier. Ranking member Rep. James Comer, a Kentucky Republican, said Wexner 鈥渁nswered every question asked of him鈥� during the 6-hour proceeding. A video and transcript are to released soon.
Wexner described himself to the lawmakers as a philanthropist, community builder and grandfather who always strove 鈥渢o live my life in an ethical manner in line with my moral compass,鈥� according to the statement. He said he was eager 鈥渢o set the record straight鈥� about his ties with Epstein. Their relation ended bitterly in 2007, after the Wexners discovered he’d been stealing from them.
As one of Epstein鈥檚 most prominent former friends, Wexner has spent years answering for their decades-long association and he sought to use the proceeding to dispel what he called 鈥渙utrageous untrue statements and hurtful rumor, innuendo, and speculation鈥� that have shadowed him.
Rep. Robert Garcia, a California Democrat who sat in on Wednesday’s interview, expressed skepticism in comments to reporters gathered near the proceeding.
鈥淭here is no single person that was more involved in providing Jeffrey Epstein with the financial support to commit his crimes than Les Wexner,鈥� he said.
In response to allegations by the prominent late , who claimed in court documents that Wexner was among men Epstein trafficked her to, Wexner testified to utter devotion to his wife of 33 years, Abigail. He said he’d never once been unfaithful 鈥渋n any way, shape, or form. Never. Any suggestion to the contrary is absolutely and entirely false.鈥�
Wexner’s name appears more than 1,000 times in the Epstein files, which does not imply guilt, and Wexner has never been charged with any crimes. His spokesperson said the number of mentions is not unexpected given their long-running ties.
‘A most loyal friend鈥�
Epstein first met Leslie Wexner through a business associate around 1986.
It was an opportune time for Wexner鈥檚 finances. The Ohio business owner had grown a single Limited store in Columbus into a suite of 1980s mall staples: The Limited, Limited Express, Lane Bryant and Victoria鈥檚 Secret. Bath & Body Works, Abercrombie & Fitch, Lerner, White Barn Candle Co. and Henri Bendel would follow.
Wexner told lawmakers that it was several years before he turned over management of his vast fortune to Epstein, after the 鈥渕aster manipulator鈥� connived to gain his trust. He gave Epstein power of attorney in 1991, allowing Epstein to make investments, do business deals, purchase property and help Wexner as he developed New Albany from a small rural city to a thriving upscale Columbus suburb.
Epstein had 鈥渆xcellent judgment and unusually high standards,鈥� Wexner told Vanity Fair in a 2003 interview, and he was 鈥渁lways a most loyal friend.鈥�
On Wednesday, the billionaire said he didn’t circulate in Epstein’s social circle, but often heard accounts of his encounters with other wealthy people.
Epstein 鈥渃arefully used his acquaintance with important individuals to curate an aura of legitimacy,鈥� Wexner said. He said he visited only once, stopping for a few hours one morning with his wife and young children while they were cruising on their boat.
鈥淚t is interesting that Mr. Wexner has already begun to clarify in his mind that somehow he and Mr. Epstein weren鈥檛 even friends,鈥� Garcia told reporters. 鈥淲e should be very clear that the two were very close, per reporting. They spent a lot of time together.鈥�
Epstein recalls 鈥榞ang stuff鈥�
In one of the newly released documents, Epstein sent rough notes to himself about Wexner saying, 鈥渘ever ever, did anything without informing les鈥� and 鈥淚 would never give him up.鈥� Another document, an apparent draft letter to Wexner, said the two 鈥渉ad 鈥榞ang stuff鈥� for over 15 years鈥� and were mutually indebted to each other 鈥� as Wexner helped make Epstein rich and Epstein helped make Wexner richer.
Wexner’s spokesperson said Wexner never received the letter, characterizing it as fitting 鈥渁 pattern of untrue, outlandish, and delusional statements made by Epstein in desperate attempts to perpetuate his lies and justify his misconduct.鈥�
Wexner told the congressional representatives that Epstein 鈥渓ived a double life,鈥� presenting himself to his wealthy clients as a financial guru with steady girlfriends while 鈥渕ost carefully and fully鈥� hiding his misdeeds with underage girls. 鈥淗e knew that I never would have tolerated his horrible behavior. Not any of it,鈥� he said.
Exploiting a sexy brand
Some accusers said Epstein touted his ties to Wexner and claimed he could help get them jobs modeling for the Victoria鈥檚 Secret catalog.
One woman, an aspiring actor and model, told the FBI that Epstein said he was and that she鈥檇 have to learn to be comfortable in her underwear and not be a prude, according to recently released grand jury testimony. said she reported Epstein to police in 1997 after he groped her during what she thought was a modeling interview for the Victoria鈥檚 Secret catalog.
After Epstein鈥檚 2019 arrest, Wexner鈥檚 lawyers told investigators that the businessman had heard a rumor that Epstein might be holding himself out as connected to Victoria鈥檚 Secret, prosecutors wrote in a recently disclosed memorandum summarizing the probe. When Wexner asked Epstein about it, Epstein denied doing so, the lawyers said, according to the memo.
Wexner did not address the specific issue in his statement Wednesday, but repeatedly lamented being deceived by Epstein 鈥� 鈥渁n abuser, a crook, and a liar.鈥� L Brands in 2020, in one of Wexner’s final acts as chair.
A relationship unravels
Wexner did not publicly reveal until after Epstein’s in July 2019 that he had severed their relationship. In that August, he said that happened in 2007. But the Justice Department鈥檚 newly released records show the two were in touch after that.
Wexner emailed Epstein on June 26, 2008, after a plea deal was announced that would require him to serve 18 months in a Florida jail on a state charge of soliciting prostitution from a minor in order to avoid federal prosecution. He wound up serving 13 months.
鈥淎bigail told me the result 鈥� all I can say is I feel sorry. You violated your own number 1 rule 鈥� always be careful,鈥� Wexner wrote. Epstein replied, 鈥渘o excuse.鈥�
His spokesperson said the 2007 date Wexner cited in 2019 applied to firing Epstein as financial adviser, revoking his power of attorney and removing his name from Wexner鈥檚 bank accounts.
Wexner also said in the 2019 letter that Epstein had of his and his family’s fortune while overseeing his finances. An investigative memo from the latest document release says Wexner鈥檚 attorneys told investigators in 2008 that Epstein had repaid him $100 million. Wexner said in Wednesday’s statement that Epstein returned 鈥渁 substantial amount鈥� of the undisclosed total.
Continuing fallout for Wexner
On Wednesday, Wexner testified he had never seen Epstein with any young girls and acknowledged the 鈥渦nfathomable鈥� pain he inflicted, even as discoveries in the Epstein files have placed new pressure on him.
One survivor, Maria Farmer, said a redacted FBI report contained in the document release her longstanding claim that she filed one of the earliest complaints against Epstein while she was under his employ in 1996 working on an art project at the Wexners’ estate.
Meanwhile, survivors of a at the Ohio State University are citing Wexner’s association with Epstein to try to get his name removed from a campus football complex and university nurses also want his name scrubbed from the Wexner Medical Center.
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AP journalists Michael Sisak in New York and Patrick Aftoora-Orsagos in New Albany contributed to this report.
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This story was first published Feb. 18, 2026. It was updated Feb. 20, 2026, to delete a quote in which Rep. Robert Garcia said congressional investigators have identified more than $1 billion that was 鈥渆ither transferred, provided in stocks or given directly鈥� by Wexner to Epstein. A spokesperson for Garcia said the congressman 鈥渕isspoke鈥� about the $1 billion.
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