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By Mandy Taheri
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Businessman Leslie “Les” Wexner, whose net worth Forbes estimates in the billions, has been revealed as one of the redacted potential "co-conspirators" in the Epstein files, though he has not been charged with any wrongdoing.
Why It Matters
Six redacted names listed in the Epstein files have been revealed, their identities disclosed by Representative Ro Khanna, a California Democrat. Among the names is Wexner, who was listed as a "co-conspirator" by the FBI in an internal memo, though he has not been charged or accused of any crimes. In 2019, the FBI emailed a list of the alleged co-conspirators and Wexner’s name was included on the email. Lawmakers have been reviewing millions of records.
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Khanna and Representative Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, said that the Department of Justice (DOJ) was improperly keeping the names private. It had already publicly been known that Epstein served as Wexner’s financial manager.
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What To Know
Epstein, a convicted sex offender and disgraced financier who died in a New York jail in 2019 while facing sex trafficking charges, has been in the spotlight over his widespread connections to prominent figures in various industries, including politics. Many have been named in a series of released documents relating to Epstein.
The DOJ recently published more than 3 million pages of material under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, signed into law by President Donald Trump in November. The tranche of documents includes 2,000 videos and 180,000 images, making the total production nearly 3.5 million pages released, in compliance with the act.
Who Is Les Wexner?
Wexner, 88, who announced in 2020 that he would step down and sell his majority stake in the company, has been a principal at Abercrombie & Fitch and La Senza, as well as other retail companies.
Forbes has estimated Wexner's net worth at more than $9 billion. He lives in New Albany, Ohio, and is the state’s richest man. He is married to Abigail Wexner, and they have four children.
Wexler, who was one of Epstein’s primary clients, wrote in an August 2019 letter to the Wexner Foundation Community: “To be clear, I never would have imagined that a person I employed more than a decade ago could have caused so much pain. I condemn his abhorrent behavior in the strongest possible terms and am sickened by the revelations I have read over the past weeks.”
In the letter, he noted that he first met Epstein in the mid-1980s, adding: “Eventually, he took over managing my personal finances. He was given power of attorney as is common in that context, and he had wide latitude to act on my behalf with respect to my personal finances while I focused on building my company and undertaking philanthropic efforts.”
At one point in the letter, he wrote: “I am embarrassed that, like so many others, I was deceived by Mr. Epstein. I know now that my trust in him was grossly misplaced and I deeply regret having ever crossed his path.”
How Much Money Has Les Wexner Given to Ohio State University?
The Buckeyes alum stepped down from The Ohio State University Board of Trustees in 2012, having served on the board for 18 years.
The university said he and his affiliates have donated more than $200 million to the school. His $100 million gift led to the medical center to be renamed for him: The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
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What People Are Saying
Representative Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, told reporters: “What we want is the men who Jeffrey Epstein trafficked women to–we want those names published. In two hours, we found six men whose names have been redacted who are implicated in the way that the files are presented.”
Representative Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, on the House floor: “There were six wealthy, powerful men that the DOJ hid for no apparent reason. When Congressman Massie and I pointed this out to the Department of Justice, they acknowledged their mistake and now they have revealed the identities of these six powerful men. These men are: Salvatore Nuara, Zurab Mikeladze, Leonic Leonov, Nicola Caputo, Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, and billionaire businessman Leslie Wexner, who was labeled as a ‘co-conspirator’ by the FBI.”
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat, on X: "Why did you redact Les Wexner’s name here in the first place? Are there other documents where you have redacted his name, which is against Congress’ orders?"
What Happens Next
Lawmakers are currently able to access only 3 million of the roughly 6 million Epstein-related documents in the DOJ's possession—unredacted copies of those already made public—and the process remains heavily restricted.
Members of Congress can review the files in person on computers at a designated DOJ facility in Washington, though they must give the department 24 hours’ notice, are barred from bringing in electronic devices and are only permitted to take handwritten notes.
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