Question
How was Jeffrey Epstein connected to Victoria’s Secret?
Answer
The connection flowed through Epstein’s relationship with Les Wexner, the founder and longtime CEO of L Brands (parent company of Victoria’s Secret). Epstein served as Wexner’s financial manager from the late 1980s with nearly unlimited Power of Attorney authority.
The recruitment angle: Multiple victims and witnesses have stated in depositions and public accounts that Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, or their associates used Victoria’s Secret as a recruitment lure — telling young women they were being considered for VS modeling work, that Epstein had connections to VS through Wexner, or that they would be introduced to VS executives. For young aspiring models, the VS brand name was a highly credible and enticing promise.
New York Times investigation (2020): The Times documented how Epstein’s name had been used in connection with VS talent scouting by multiple women in different encounters. The investigation found that Epstein had represented himself, or been represented by Maxwell, as having VS connections.
Did VS itself enable this?: L Brands’ position is that Wexner did not know about Epstein’s crimes and that the company had no knowledge of these activities. An independent investigation found no evidence that L Brands employees participated. The use of the VS name appears to have been Epstein’s exploitation of the Wexner connection without corporate authorization.
What changed: L Brands commissioned, but did not publicly release, an investigation. Wexner stepped down as CEO in February 2020. Victoria’s Secret was later sold to private equity and has undergone a significant brand overhaul, partly in response to reputational damage from this association.
Sources
New York Times investigation “Jeffrey Epstein Exploited a Vacuum at the Heart of Victoria’s Secret” (2020); Virginia Giuffre deposition; Wexner Foundation statement (2019); L Brands investor communications 2020.