American billionaire Les Wexner, founder of L Brands, testified Wednesday before a House committee on his decades-long ties with Jeffrey Epstein. Aged 88, he claimed to have been 'duped' by the sex offender and unaware of his crimes. The closed-door hearing aims to clarify the network that enabled Epstein's actions.
On February 18, 2026, Les Wexner, retail and lingerie magnate, was questioned remotely from his Ohio home by a House committee in Washington. This parliamentary probe concerns the Epstein case, reignited by the declassification of millions of documents by the US Department of Justice.
Wexner, who met Epstein in the 1980s, explained that the latter managed his finances and investments for years. He provided substantial financial support to Epstein, which Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia described as crucial: 'There would have been no Epstein island, no Epstein plane, no money for the trafficking of women and girls without Les Wexner's support.'
In his opening remarks, Wexner stated: 'I was naive, stupid, and gullible to trust Jeffrey Epstein. He was a con man.' He denied any involvement in Epstein's crimes and rejected a 2015 accusation that he had sexual relations with Virginia Giuffre, a presumed victim who suicided in 2025. Wexner cited a failing memory but assured: 'Although I was duped, I did nothing wrong and have nothing to hide.'
The Justice Department stated that Wexner is not under investigation, and his lawyers claim to have cooperated with authorities in 2019. This hearing highlights Epstein's connections to influential figures without accusing Wexner of wrongdoing.
