Epstein Meets Les Wexner at Charitable Event in Columbus, Ohio

Around 1986, Jeffrey Epstein met Leslie “Les” Wexner, the billionaire founder and CEO of L Brands (parent company of Victoria’s Secret, The Limited, Bath & Body Works, and other retail chains), through the Young Presidents’ Organization or a related charitable event in Ohio. The meeting launched a relationship that gave Epstein access to virtually unlimited financial resources.

Nature of the Relationship

Within a few years of meeting, Wexner granted Epstein an unprecedented level of financial and legal authority. By 1991, Epstein had been given a broad power of attorney over Wexner’s assets. This allowed Epstein to make financial decisions, acquire property, and act on Wexner’s behalf in transactions worth tens or hundreds of millions of dollars.

The New York Mansion

The most visible transaction arising from the Wexner-Epstein relationship was the transfer of 9 East 71st Street in Manhattan — one of the largest private homes in New York City. Wexner had bought the mansion for approximately $13.2 million and gifted or sold it to Epstein for a nominal price. Epstein would use it as his primary residence for the rest of his life.

Financial Arrangements

Epstein claimed to manage Wexner’s money and those of a select group of billionaires. Wexner has stated that he eventually discovered Epstein had misappropriated significant sums — estimated at $46 million — from his accounts, and that he cut ties with Epstein around 2007.

Significance

This meeting fundamentally altered what Jeffrey Epstein could access, project, and do. Without Wexner, Epstein would not have had the wealth or credibility to build his network, acquire his properties, or survive scrutiny of his uncertain income sources.