The Power of Attorney
In 1991, billionaire retail magnate Leslie Wexner executed a power of attorney in favor of Jeffrey Epstein that was, according to investigators who examined it, extraordinary in its scope. The document granted Epstein authority to:
- Buy and sell real estate on Wexner’s behalf
- Enter into contracts
- Manage Wexner’s personal finances and banking relationships
- Act as Wexner’s proxy in essentially all financial matters
Why Wexner Did It
Wexner has described Epstein as someone he deeply trusted, whom he believed was advising and protecting his finances. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Wexner was building Limited Brands (now L Brands, parent of Victoria’s Secret) into a retail empire while traveling extensively. He appears to have genuinely delegated day-to-day financial management to Epstein.
What Epstein Did With It
Using the power of attorney, Epstein:
- Transferred the Manhattan townhouse from Wexner to himself (for no recorded payment)
- Moved hundreds of millions of dollars through financial transactions
- Wexner has claimed to have lost approximately million through Epstein’s misuse of the POA
The End of the Relationship
Wexner ended the relationship around 2007 and has since publicly stated that Epstein “misappropriated” his funds. He testified to investigators and has made significant donations to victims’ organizations as a form of restitution acknowledgment.
The Manipulation Pattern
The Wexner POA represents one of the clearest examples of the psychological manipulation Epstein applied to powerful mencreating dependency through perceived financial genius, flattery, and gradually expanded authority.