The Mystery of Origins
How Jeffrey Epstein a former teacher without obvious financial credentials came to be introduced to Les Wexner one of America’s wealthiest retail executives remains incompletely documented.
The Hoffenberg Theory
Steven Hoffenberg, a financier who employed Epstein in the early 1980s, has claimed credit for introducing Epstein to Wexner. Hoffenberg himself was later convicted of financial fraud.
The Gerald Ford Connection
Some accounts suggest a Palm Beach social connection through mutual acquaintances in the Florida elite social world. Both men were active in Palm Beach social circles.
The Timeline
The relationship became formalized approximately 1987-1988 when Wexner granted Epstein power of attorney over his financial affairs. Whatever the introduction, the professional relationship escalated quickly to extraordinary intimacy and trust.
The Unanswered Question
The core mystery is not merely how they met but why Wexner a careful and successful businessman would within a relatively short time grant an apparent financial outsider such extraordinary powers over his affairs. This question has not been publicly answered.