It’s May 1996. New Albany, Ohio.
Maria Farmer is 26 years old. An artist. She’s been working at a billionaire’s estate for three weeks. Today she needs to leave the guesthouse to buy art supplies.
She calls the billionaire’s wife. Asks permission.
The wife says she’ll think about it.
Maria is a grown woman. But armed guards patrol this property. She can’t leave without approval. She’s starting to understand: this isn’t an artist residency.
It’s a prison.
That night, Jeffrey Epstein walks into her room. By morning, she’s been assaulted. She escapes the estate. She reports him to the FBI.
Nothing happens.
Thirty years later—February 10, 2026—Congressman Ro Khanna stands on the House floor. He’s holding FBI documents. Documents the Department of Justice tried to keep secret.
He reads a list of six names. Men the FBI suspected of helping Jeffrey Epstein traffic children.
The first name: Leslie Wexner.
Owner of Victoria’s Secret. One of the richest men in America. The man who gave Epstein power of attorney over billions of dollars. The man who transferred a $56 million Manhattan mansion to Epstein with no record of payment.
The FBI called him a suspected co-conspirator.
This is the story of how it happened.
The Genius Who Built an Empire
Columbus, Ohio.
Les Wexner is 26 years old. His parents own a small clothing store in Dayton. Les has an idea: what if you only sold one thing? Women’s sportswear. Young professionals. Simple, focused, fast.
He borrows $5,000 from his aunt. Opens one store. Calls it The Limited.
Within a year, he opens a second store. Then a third. Then ten.
By 1969, The Limited is a chain. By 1980, Wexner has 187 stores across America. He’s a retail genius. He understands what women want before they know it themselves.
In 1982, he’s in San Francisco. He walks into a struggling lingerie store called Victoria’s Secret. Six locations. Losing money. Victorian-themed, frilly, old-fashioned.
Wexner sees potential.
He buys the company for $1 million. Then he transforms it. Out go the Victorians. In come supermodels. Fashion shows. Fantasy. Glamour.
By 1990, Victoria’s Secret isn’t just a store. It’s a cultural phenomenon. The fashion show becomes appointment television. Angels become celebrities. Sales exceed $1 billion.
Les Wexner becomes one of the richest men in America.
He builds a private town in Ohio called New Albany. He designs every building himself. He donates hundreds of millions to charity. Ohio State University. Medical research. Jewish causes.
But by the mid-1980s, Wexner wants more. Retail is good. But he wants sophisticated wealth management. Offshore investments. Tax strategies. Complex financial structures.
He needs someone brilliant with money.
In 1986, a friend offers to introduce him to just such a person.
That introduction will destroy everything.
The Warning: “I Smell a Rat”
Robert Meister is sitting on a plane. Mid-1980s. Flying to Palm Beach.
The man next to him is charming. Well-dressed. Says his name is Jeffrey Epstein. Says he works in finance. High-net-worth clients. Offshore accounts. Complex tax structures.
They talk. Meister mentions he’s an insurance executive. His firm handles policies for The Limited. He knows Les Wexner personally.
Epstein becomes very interested.
Later, Epstein calls Meister. He has a story. He says he’s discovered that Wexner’s current money manager—Harold Levin—is stealing from him. Epstein describes himself as a financial “bounty hunter.” He can recover the stolen money.
It sounds convincing.
Meister arranges a meeting. Wexner’s house in Aspen. Epstein makes his pitch.
But Meister has a colleague who wants to meet Epstein first. Harold Levin himself. The man Epstein is accusing.
They meet. One meeting.
Levin walks out. Finds Meister. Says: “I smell a rat. I don’t trust him”.
He tells Wexner the same thing. Stay away from this man.
Wexner ignores him.
By 1987, Jeffrey Epstein is Wexner’s financial adviser. Soon, he’s the only adviser. Levin is pushed aside. Eventually, Levin quits rather than work under Epstein.
Before he leaves, Levin learns something disturbing: Epstein had told Wexner that Levin was stealing. It was a lie. But Wexner believed Epstein, not Levin.
The man who warned “I smell a rat” is gone.
Epstein is in.
Friends of Wexner are confused. Who is this Jeffrey Epstein? Where did he come from? What are his credentials?
No one can find answers. Epstein has no other clients. No verifiable track record. He’d worked at Bear Stearns in the late 1970s, but left in 1981 under unclear circumstances.
Some people ask questions. Wexner doesn’t answer them.
By the early 1990s, Epstein isn’t just Wexner’s financial adviser. He’s part of the family. He attends dinners. Vacations. Celebrations.
But Robert Meister—the man who introduced them—is worried.
September 1997. Wexner’s 60th birthday party. His estate in New Albany. Hundreds of guests. Senator Joe Lieberman. Prominent developers. Ohio’s elite.
Meister is there with his wife.
During the party, Meister pulls Wexner aside. In front of other guests, he begs Wexner to cut ties with Epstein. “My wife and I told him and Abigail hundreds of times to stay away from Epstein,” Meister says later.
Wexner won’t listen.
It’s the last time Meister visits Wexner’s house.
What Meister doesn’t know—what no one knows—is that by 1997, it’s already too late.
Six years earlier, Wexner had signed something. Three pages. A document that gave Jeffrey Epstein total control.
And by 1997, Epstein is already using that control to build an empire of abuse.
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July 1991: Signing Away Everything
Three pages. That’s all it takes.
Power of attorney. Signed July 1991.
Les Wexner grants Jeffrey Epstein the legal right to sign Wexner’s name. On anything. Any document. Any contract. Any check.
Epstein can buy properties. Sell them. Borrow money. Access accounts. Hire employees. Fire them. Make investments. All in Wexner’s name.
It’s not limited. It’s not temporary. It’s total authority.
Lawyers who later review the document are stunned. One tells New York Magazine: “I’ve never seen anyone give power of attorney that broad to someone who wasn’t a family member”.
Most people don’t even give their spouses this kind of power.
Why would a billionaire give it to a man he’d known for five years? A man with no verifiable credentials? A man his best advisers called “a rat”?
In 2019, Wexner offers an explanation. He says Epstein came “highly recommended” by friends. He says he trusted those recommendations.
But the warnings were explicit. Multiple advisers had urged caution. Harold Levin didn’t trust him. Robert Meister begged him to walk away.
Wexner gave Epstein everything anyway.
For 16 years—1991 to 2007—Epstein operates with complete legal authority. He manages billions. He moves assets across borders. He represents Wexner in business deals.
Friends are mystified. One tells Vanity Fair: “We couldn’t understand it. Les is a brilliant businessman. How could he be so blind?”.
The assets under Epstein’s control aren’t small. By the mid-1990s, Wexner’s net worth exceeds $5 billion. Properties include estates in Ohio, New Albany, vacation homes, private jets.
And one particular property.
A seven-story mansion at 9 East 71st Street in Manhattan. The largest private residence in New York City.
In 1989, Wexner bought it for $13.2 million.
By 1996, Jeffrey Epstein is living there.
By 1998, it’s transferred to Epstein’s name.
Public records show no payment.
That mansion becomes the center of Jeffrey Epstein’s criminal empire.
But before it became his headquarters, it became his trap.
And Maria Farmer walked right into it.
May 1996: The Guesthouse
Maria Farmer is packing her rental truck. Art supplies. Canvases. Brushes. Paint.
She’s 26 years old. She studied at the New York Academy of Art. She’s talented. She has a future.
A professor introduced her to Jeffrey Epstein. Said he was an art collector. A patron. Someone who helped young artists.
Epstein seemed legitimate. He attended gallery shows. He bought pieces. He introduced Maria to Ghislaine Maxwell. Maxwell seemed cultured. Connected. She talked about art, travel, high society.
Then Epstein made an offer.
He’d arranged for Maria to work as artist-in-residence on a property in Ohio. She’d paint backdrops for a Hollywood movie—”As Good As It Gets.” She’d have space. Time. Materials. It was the opportunity she’d been dreaming of.
Maria says yes.
She packs everything. Drives from New York to New Albany, Ohio.
The property belongs to Les Wexner.
Maria arrives. The estate is massive. Sprawling. Isolated. But she’s not staying in the main house. She’s in a guesthouse.
The first day, she tries to leave. To buy supplies in town.
A guard stops her.
He says she needs permission.
Maria calls the main house. Speaks to Abigail Wexner—Les Wexner’s wife. Asks if she can go into town.
Abigail says she’ll think about it.
Maria is 26 years old. An adult. But she can’t leave without asking permission.
She realizes something is very wrong.
Days pass. Maria works on the paintings. But the guards are always watching. She can’t leave the property. Every trip into town requires a phone call. Approval. Supervision.
Then Epstein and Maxwell visit.
One night, they assault her.
Maria is terrified. She finishes the work as quickly as possible. She leaves the estate. She drives back to New York.
And she does something almost no one had done before.
She reports Jeffrey Epstein to the police.
She files a criminal complaint with the FBI. Then the NYPD. She gives details. The assault. The Ohio estate. Ghislaine Maxwell’s involvement. Les Wexner’s property.
The FBI takes her statement.
Nothing happens.
No investigation. No charges. No follow-up.
Maria doesn’t understand. She reported a crime. She gave names, locations, dates. Why isn’t anyone doing anything?
Years later, she’ll learn the truth. Epstein has connections. Powerful connections. Complaints against him have a way of disappearing.
In 1996, Maria is one of the first to report him.
She won’t be the last.
One year later. May 1997. Santa Monica, California. Another woman gets a phone call. The man on the line says he’s a Victoria’s Secret talent scout.
His name is Jeffrey Epstein.
May 1997: “Let Me Manhandle You”
Alicia Arden is 27. An actress. A model. She’d appeared on “Baywatch” a few years ago. Now she’s trying to break into high fashion.
The phone rings.
A man. Says his name is Jeffrey Epstein. Says he’s a talent scout for Victoria’s Secret. Says he’s in Los Angeles looking for models for the catalog.
Alicia can’t believe it. Victoria’s Secret. The dream. Every model wants that job.
They arrange to meet. Shutters on the Beach. A luxury hotel in Santa Monica. Epstein books a room. Says it’s easier to review her portfolio there, away from distractions.
Alicia arrives. Professional photos. Comp cards. Measurements. She’s nervous. Excited.
Epstein opens the door. Invites her in. At first, everything seems normal. He looks through her photos. Asks about her experience. Seems professional.
Then he asks her to sit closer.
She does. She wants this job.
He starts touching her. Shoulder. Back. Thigh.
Alicia tenses. This doesn’t feel right.
Epstein says: “Let me manhandle you”.
He grabs her. Pulls her shirt over her head. Yanks her skirt down. Gropes her.
Alicia realizes what’s happening. This isn’t an audition. This is assault.
She fights. Pushes him away. Grabs her clothes. Runs.
Outside the hotel, she’s shaking. Crying. She calls the police.
Santa Monica Police Department. She files a sexual battery report. Gives them everything. Epstein’s name. The hotel room number. What he did.
A detective takes her statement. He seems to believe her.
But nothing happens.
No arrest. No charges. No investigation.
Alicia doesn’t understand. She reported it immediately. She had evidence. She gave them his name.
Why isn’t anyone doing anything?
She’ll learn later: Epstein used the Victoria’s Secret connection repeatedly. He approached models. Aspiring actresses. Young women desperate for a break. Promised them catalog work. Runway shows. Exposure.
Then he assaulted them.
And he got away with it.
Because the Victoria’s Secret connection wasn’t fake. It was real. He had Les Wexner.
In fact, two executives at Victoria’s Secret eventually warned Wexner. They told him Epstein was using the company’s name to approach women. They said it was damaging the brand. Creating liability.
Wexner told them: “I’ll take care of it”.
He didn’t.
The relationship between Wexner and Epstein continued.
And Epstein’s abuse escalated.
But here’s what’s strange. Epstein wasn’t just using Wexner’s company name. He was using Wexner’s money. In 2004, he gave a man named Jean-Luc Brunel up to $1 million.
That money launched one of the most notorious modeling agencies in history.
An agency that, according to victims, supplied Epstein with dozens of underage girls
2004: The Model Pipeline
Jean-Luc Brunel is a French modeling scout. In the 1980s, models accused him of drugging and sexually assaulting them. In 1988, a “60 Minutes” segment featured models describing his predatory behavior.
But Brunel is connected. He works with major agencies. He scouts across Eastern Europe.
And he knows Jeffrey Epstein.
In 2004, Epstein gives Brunel up to $1 million. The purpose: launch a modeling agency called MC2 Model Management.
Brunel opens offices in New York. Miami. He recruits young women from Eastern Europe. Poor countries. Promises them modeling careers in America. Visas. Housing. Work.
But according to court testimony, MC2 wasn’t just a modeling agency.
Virginia Roberts Giuffre—one of Epstein’s most vocal accusers—states in a 2015 deposition that Brunel “supplied Epstein with dozens of underage girls”. She says Brunel recruited girls as young as 12. Brought them to America. Delivered them to Epstein’s mansions.
In 2020, French authorities arrest Brunel. Charges: rape and sex trafficking of minors.
In February 2022, he’s found dead in his Paris jail cell. Apparent suicide.
But here’s the disturbing part.
Victoria’s Secret continued working with MC2 Model Management even after Wexner claimed to have cut ties with Epstein in 2007.
Models represented by MC2 walked in Victoria’s Secret fashion shows. Appeared in catalogs. Were part of brand campaigns.
Victoria’s Secret finally ended the relationship in 2015. The same year Virginia Giuffre publicly accused Brunel of trafficking.
For eight years after Wexner supposedly severed ties with Epstein, the company Wexner built kept working with an agency Epstein had funded.
An agency accused of supplying Epstein with victims.
When reporters asked Victoria’s Secret about this, a spokesperson said the company “took allegations seriously”.
No explanation for the eight-year relationship.
And just this month—February 2026—new evidence emerged.
Videos. The FBI obtained them during their investigation. They show Epstein conducting fake “catwalk auditions” with young girls.
The girls walk back and forth. Epstein films them. Former models who saw the videos said it looked exactly like legitimate talent scouts audition models.
Except these weren’t legitimate auditions.
They were grooming.
And they were happening while Epstein still had access to Les Wexner’s fortune. Still had power of attorney. Still lived in the Manhattan mansion Wexner had given him.
That mansion—9 East 71st Street—is worth examining closely.
Because the way it transferred from Wexner to Epstein raises a question no one has been able to answer.
How do you give away $56 million and leave no trace?
The $56 Million Mystery: A Mansion for $0
Les Wexner buys a mansion at 9 East 71st Street in Manhattan. Purchase price: $13.2 million.
It’s one of the largest private homes in New York City. Seven stories. 21,000 square feet. Built in 1930 for Herbert Straus, founder of Macy’s department store.
Wexner says he’ll use it for business trips to New York.
But he rarely stays there. In 1996, Epstein tells The New York Times: “Les never spent more than two months there”.
Instead, Epstein moves in.
He decorates it. A life-size female doll hanging from a chandelier. Taxidermied animals. A painting of Bill Clinton in a dress. Security cameras in every room.
Visitors notice the cameras. Some say they felt watched. Uncomfortable.
Epstein dismisses concerns. Says he needs security.
Then, in 1998, something happens.
The mansion transfers from Les Wexner’s name to a corporation: Nine East 71st Street Corporation.
Public records don’t show how much Epstein paid.
One source claims $20 million. But no documents confirm this.
Then, in 2011, another transfer. From Nine East 71st Street Corporation—which Epstein controls—to another Epstein company: Maple Inc., registered in the Virgin Islands.
The deed is dated December 25, 2011. Christmas Day.
It’s signed by Jeffrey E. Epstein, President.
The consideration—the amount paid—is listed on the official document.
$10.
Ten dollars.
A mansion worth tens of millions. Transferred for the price of lunch.
By 2019, the property is valued at $77 million.
Real estate lawyers say such transfers can be legal. They happen in family trusts. Corporate restructuring. But they’re unusual.
And they raise questions.
How did Jeffrey Epstein—a man with no money in 1987—acquire a $13.2 million mansion from Les Wexner?
Why are there no public records showing payment?
Why would Wexner, a brilliant businessman, give away one of Manhattan’s most valuable properties?
Wexner has never fully explained it. In his 2019 letter, he acknowledged that Epstein had “misappropriated vast sums of money” from him.
He said he was “deeply embarrassed” by his relationship with Epstein.
But he didn’t explain the mansion.
And he never sued to get it back.
In fact, when Wexner discovered in 2007 that Epstein had stolen $46 million, he did something that baffled legal experts.
He did nothing.
The $46 Million Question: Why No Lawsuit?
Les Wexner makes a discovery.
Jeffrey Epstein—his trusted financial adviser for 16 years—has “misappropriated vast sums of money” from him.
The amount: over $46 million.
This isn’t a minor accounting error. This is massive theft.
Most people, when they discover someone has stolen $46 million, do two things. They call the police. They file a lawsuit.
Les Wexner does neither.
He quietly severs financial ties with Epstein. Removes his power of attorney. Stops taking his calls.
But no criminal charges. No civil lawsuit.
Why?
In 2020, Abigail Wexner—Les’s wife—offers an explanation. She says Wexner chose not to sue “to avoid ongoing litigation entanglements with Epstein”.
Think about that.
A man steals $46 million. The victim’s response: “I don’t want to deal with litigation.”
Legal experts are baffled. Bradley Edwards, a lawyer who has represented multiple Epstein victims, tells reporters: “If someone stole $46 million from you, you sue. You have to. Otherwise, how do you explain to the IRS, to your investors, to anyone, where that money went?”.
New York Magazine investigates. They speak to tax lawyers. Financial experts. Wealth managers. The consensus: Wexner’s decision makes no sense.
Unless there’s something he doesn’t want revealed in court.
Lawsuits require discovery. Both sides can subpoena documents. Take depositions. Demand answers.
If Wexner sued Epstein, Epstein’s lawyers could demand financial records showing exactly where Wexner’s money went. They could ask about the mansion transfer. The power of attorney. The decades-long relationship.
They could bring up Maria Farmer. Alicia Arden. The Victoria’s Secret connection.
Wexner chose silence.
He did release one public statement. August 2019. After Epstein was arrested on federal sex trafficking charges. Wexner sent a letter to members of his charitable foundation.
He wrote that he was “NEVER aware of the illegal activity charged in the indictment”.
He said he first learned of Epstein’s “abhorrent behavior” when Epstein was charged in Florida in 2007.
He expressed “tremendous shock”.
But the timeline doesn’t add up.
Maria Farmer reported Epstein to the FBI in 1996. Eleven years before Wexner claimed to first learn of abuse.
Alicia Arden filed a police report in 1997. Ten years before.
Two Victoria’s Secret executives warned Wexner that Epstein was using the company’s name to approach women. Years before Wexner said he knew.
Robert Meister begged Wexner to cut ties with Epstein at Wexner’s 60th birthday party in 1997. A full decade before the supposed “discovery”.
Either Wexner didn’t know—which means willful blindness for 20 years—or he knew and did nothing.
In 2007, Florida prosecutors built a case against Epstein. Dozens of underage girls. Sexual abuse. Trafficking.
Wexner was never called to testify. Never questioned.
His name appeared in case files. But he was classified as a “witness,” not a suspect.
Epstein ultimately pleaded guilty in 2008. Two state prostitution charges. He served 13 months in a private wing of the Palm Beach County jail. He had permission to leave for work 12 hours a day.
One of the most lenient sentences for a sex trafficking case in U.S. history.
Les Wexner remained silent.
Until August 10, 2019, when Jeffrey Epstein was found dead in his Manhattan jail cell.
And the world started asking questions.
August 2019: The Letter
August 10, 2019. Jeffrey Epstein is dead. Officials rule it suicide.
He’d been arrested a month earlier. Federal sex trafficking charges. Prosecutors said he’d sexually abused dozens of underage girls. Operated an international sex trafficking ring for decades.
The arrest sparked a media firestorm. Journalists uncovered details. His mysterious wealth. Private island. Connections to powerful men.
One name appeared repeatedly: Les Wexner.
How had Epstein become rich? Who was his “main client”? How did he acquire a $77 million mansion?
August 8, 2019—two days before Epstein’s death—Les Wexner sent a letter to members of his charitable foundation.
Damage control.
He wrote: “I am embarrassed that, like so many others, I was deceived by Mr. Epstein”.
He said his path crossed Epstein’s “at an unfortunate time in my life, when I was experiencing personal issues”.
He said he learned of Epstein’s “abhorrent behavior” only in 2007. He said he severed ties immediately. He said he was “NEVER aware of the illegal activity”.
The letter raised more questions than it answered.
What “personal issues” made Wexner vulnerable? Why did he give Epstein power of attorney? How did Epstein “misappropriate” $46 million if Wexner was monitoring his finances? Why no lawsuit?
Reporters pressed for interviews. Wexner declined.
His spokesperson issued brief statements. Wexner had “cooperated fully” with investigators. He was “not a target”.
For a while, the story faded. Epstein was dead. Ghislaine Maxwell was arrested in 2020, convicted in 2021, sentenced to 20 years.
Some victims received compensation from Epstein’s estate.
But questions about Wexner persisted.
Then, January 2024, a federal judge ordered the release of documents from a 2015 lawsuit.
And Virginia Giuffre’s testimony became public.
January 2024: “He Participated”
The documents included depositions. Emails. Testimony sealed for years. Nearly 200 individuals were named.
One name appeared in a way that shocked observers: Les Wexner.
Virginia Giuffre had given testimony in 2016. She was asked about men Jeffrey Epstein had trafficked her to for sex.
She named several high-profile individuals.
And she named Les Wexner.
Giuffre testified that she was trafficked to Wexner between three and ten times. She said Ghislaine Maxwell instructed her to wear Victoria’s Secret lingerie for Wexner.
An attorney asked: why did you say in a previous statement that you didn’t believe Wexner would tell the truth?
Giuffre answered: “He participated in sex with minors”.
She elaborated: “If you walked foot into Jeffrey Epstein’s house and you went in there and you continued to be an acquaintance of his then you would have to know what was going on there”.
Wexner’s representatives immediately denied the allegations. They pointed to a 2019 statement by attorney Brad Edwards—who has represented multiple Epstein victims—saying it was “very highly likely to be true” that Wexner was unaware of Epstein’s abuse.
But Edwards’s statement came with caveats. He acknowledged the situation was “odd.” He couldn’t explain Wexner’s decades-long relationship with Epstein.
The unsealed documents didn’t result in criminal charges against Wexner.
But the public revelation of Giuffre’s testimony reignited scrutiny.
How much did Wexner really know?
If he didn’t know, why not?
The answer came from an unlikely source.
The FBI itself.
February 10, 2026: The Co-Conspirator
December 31, 2025. The Department of Justice released documents related to Jeffrey Epstein’s 2019 prosecution.
Most were heavily redacted. Names blacked out. Information removed.
The DOJ said the redactions were necessary. Ongoing investigations. Privacy interests.
Members of Congress were furious. Representatives Ro Khanna (Democrat, California) and Thomas Massie (Republican, Kentucky) had co-authored the Epstein Files Transparency Act. They demanded full disclosure.
January 7, 2026. The House Oversight Committee voted to subpoena three men: Les Wexner, Darren Indyke (Epstein’s lawyer), and Richard Kahn (Epstein’s accountant).
Representative Ro Khanna said: “The subpoenas represent a significant advancement in our quest for justice for the survivors and truth for the American populace”.
Khanna had reviewed the unredacted documents. He knew what the government was hiding.
February 9, 2026—two days ago—Khanna stood on the House floor.
He announced he was going to do something extraordinary. Read the names the DOJ had redacted.
He said: “If we found six men they were hiding in two hours, imagine how many more men they are covering up for in those 3 million files”.
Then he read the names:
Leslie Wexner
Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem
Salvatore Nuara
Zurab Mikeladze
Leonic Leonov
Nicola Caputo
Khanna focused on Wexner. He explained that an internal FBI email from 2019 listed ten individuals as possible co-conspirators in Epstein’s sex trafficking operation.
Wexner was on that list.
Not a victim. Not a witness.
A suspected co-conspirator.
The revelation was explosive. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche responded on social media: “We have just unredacted Les Wexner’s name from this document, but his name already appears in the files thousands of times”.
Thousands of times.
Khanna announced that Wexner would be deposed before Congress in late February or early March 2026.
Under oath.
He’d have to answer questions he’d avoided for years.
Tom Davies, Wexner’s spokesperson, issued a statement: “According to Mr. Wexner’s legal representative, Mr. Wexner will cooperate fully with any governmental inquiry into Epstein, just as he did regarding the U.S. Attorney’s investigation into Epstein in which Mr. Wexner was told that he was neither a co-conspirator nor a target in any respect”.
But being told you’re “not a target” is different from being named by the FBI as a suspected co-conspirator.
February 10, 2026—yesterday—the Justice Department officially un-redacted Wexner’s name from the documents.
Today—February 11, 2026—news outlets around the world are reporting the story.
The billionaire owner of Victoria’s Secret. The man who made Jeffrey Epstein rich. Labeled by the FBI as a suspected co-conspirator in one of the worst sex trafficking cases in American history.
And in a few weeks, he’ll have to testify.
The Questions No One Can Answer
Les Wexner is 88 years old. He stepped down as CEO of L Brands in 2020. He lives in New Albany, Ohio. The town he built.
He’s donated over $1 billion to charitable causes.
But the questions haven’t stopped.
How did Jeffrey Epstein—a man with no money in 1987—convince a billionaire to give him total power of attorney?
Why did Wexner ignore repeated warnings? Harold Levin said “I smell a rat.” Robert Meister begged him to walk away. Why didn’t he listen?
How did a $13.2 million Manhattan mansion transfer to Epstein? Where’s the record of payment? Why did the 2011 deed list the consideration as $10?
Why didn’t Wexner sue when Epstein stole $46 million? What was he afraid of revealing in court?
Did Wexner know about the abuse?
Maria Farmer reported assault on his property in 1996. Why didn’t he investigate?
Victoria’s Secret executives warned him Epstein was using the company’s name to prey on women. Why didn’t he act?
Robert Meister begged him—at his own 60th birthday party—to cut ties with Epstein. Why did he wait ten more years?
And if he did know, why did he wait until 2007—only after Epstein was criminally charged—to cut ties?
Virginia Giuffre says Wexner participated. Wexner denies it.
The FBI called him a suspected co-conspirator. His lawyers say he was cleared.
But Wexner’s name appears “thousands of times” in FBI files.
What do those files say?
In three weeks, Wexner will testify before Congress.
For the first time, he’ll answer questions under oath.
Survivors are watching.
Maria Farmer—who reported Epstein in 1996 and was ignored—told reporters: “I’ve been waiting almost 30 years for someone to ask the right questions. Maybe now they finally will”.
Alicia Arden—who filed a police report in 1997 that went nowhere—said: “Jeffrey Epstein didn’t operate alone. He had help. He had enablers. People who gave him access, money, power, credibility. Without them, he couldn’t have hurt so many girls”.
The congressional hearing is scheduled for late February 2026. Representative Ro Khanna says the committee has “significant evidence”.
What that evidence shows remains to be seen.
But one thing is becoming clear.
The mystery of how Jeffrey Epstein became rich. How he operated for decades with impunity. Who helped him. Who enabled him. Who looked the away.
All of it centers on one relationship.
Between a sex trafficker and the billionaire who gave him everything.
In 1991, Les Wexner signed three pages. Power of attorney.
By 1995, Jeffrey Epstein owned a $56 million mansion. A private island. A Boeing 727.
In 1996, Maria Farmer was assaulted on Wexner’s property. She reported it. Nothing happened.
In 1997, Alicia Arden was assaulted by a man claiming to scout for Victoria’s Secret. She reported it. Nothing happened.
In 2007, Wexner discovered Epstein had stolen $46 million. He never sued.
In 2019, Wexner claimed he “never knew” about Epstein’s crimes.
In 2024, Virginia Giuffre testified under oath that Wexner “participated in sex with minors”.
In 2026, the FBI revealed they’d listed Wexner as a suspected co-conspirator.
But here’s the question nobody’s asked yet.
If Epstein stole $46 million from Wexner, why did the FBI call Wexner a co-conspirator?
What if Epstein didn’t steal the money?
What if he was paid?
And if he was paid, what was the payment for?
In three weeks, Les Wexner will sit before Congress. Under oath. He’ll be asked to explain 20 years of warnings ignored. 20 years of victims silenced. 20 years of looking the other way.
Twenty years of giving Jeffrey Epstein everything he needed to build an empire of abuse.
The world is watching.
The survivors are waiting.
And for the first time in 30 years, Les Wexner won’t be able to stay silent.
Don’t mind me just making it simple…
Just filling in the blanks.
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