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In the 1980s, Wexner hired Epstein as his personal financial manager. At the time, Epstein had briefly worked at Manhattan’s elite Dalton School despite lacking a college degree. Within a few short years, Wexner granted Epstein full power of attorney.
That authority was sweeping.
Epstein could sign checks. Purchase properties. Hire employees. Conduct business on Wexner’s behalf. Few billionaires in modern history handed that level of power to a single individual.
Among the most troubling details: Wexner sold Epstein the Manhattan townhouse that later became synonymous with some of the financier’s most horrific crimes. Epstein also purchased property adjacent to Wexner’s estate in Ohio. He was even installed as a trustee of the Wexner Foundation.
During the 1990s, Ghislaine Maxwell reportedly described Wexner as Epstein’s “closest friend.”
Federal prosecutors have labeled Wexner a “secondary co-conspirator,” while noting there is “limited evidence regarding his involvement.” He has not been charged with any crime.
His explanation has remained consistent. He says he was “naïve, foolish, and gullible.” He claims Epstein was a “con man” who “lived a double life.” He insists he saw nothing. Heard nothing. Suspected nothing.
The 2008 Email That Raises New Questions
Wexner has testified that he cut ties with Epstein in 2007.
However, newly released Justice Department documents show that in June 2008 — after Epstein pleaded guilty to soliciting a minor — Wexner emailed him.
The message read that he felt “sorry” and warned Epstein that he had “violated your own number 1 rule … always be careful.”
Always be careful.
Not outrage. Not condemnation. Not disgust.
“Always be careful.”
That email is now central to lawmakers questioning whether Wexner truly severed ties when he says he did.
Lawmakers Turn Up the Heat
Democrats on the committee did not mince words after the deposition.
“There is no single person that was more involved in providing Jeffrey Epstein with the financial support to commit his crimes than Les Wexner,” said Rep. Robert Garcia.
Rep. Stephen Lynch added: “In a very real way, Les Wexner gave Epstein credibility to commit some of the crimes that he did. There is no question in my mind, given the evidence so far, that Les Wexner knew about this and failed to stop it.”
Those are explosive claims.
The broader investigation is moving beyond billionaires and into the highest political circles. Lawmakers are systematically questioning individuals connected to Epstein’s network, examining who financed him, who enabled him, and who looked the other way.
A Deposition That May Echo for Years
Wexner’s hot mic moment may ultimately symbolize something bigger than one uncomfortable exchange.
It captured the tension between public outrage and elite insulation.
For years, Epstein cultivated relationships with titans of industry, academia, and politics. Many now insist they were deceived. Many claim ignorance.
But the paper trail exists. The emails exist. The transcripts now exist.
Wexner walked away from the deposition without charges. But the scrutiny is far from over.
The cameras were on. The audio was rolling. And as more testimony emerges, Americans may soon learn whether the powerful truly didn’t know — or simply didn’t want to.
