1 00:00:00,440 --> 00:00:03,960 Speaker 1: What's up, everyone, and welcome to another episode of the 2 00:00:03,960 --> 00:00:09,759 Epstein Chronicles. As of the time that we're recording this episode, 3 00:00:09,960 --> 00:00:14,599 Les Wexner is sitting down with Congress being deposed. But 4 00:00:14,800 --> 00:00:18,399 before he went in for the deposition, he actually released 5 00:00:18,399 --> 00:00:20,800 a statement. So in this episode, we're going to take 6 00:00:20,839 --> 00:00:23,320 a look at that statement and see what Les Wexner 7 00:00:23,719 --> 00:00:27,000 had to say for himself. So with that said, let's 8 00:00:27,039 --> 00:00:31,879 dive right into the statement. I am pleased to testify today, 9 00:00:32,159 --> 00:00:35,920 Pleased because it's an opportunity to set the record straight. 10 00:00:36,640 --> 00:00:39,759 Over the years, I've been the subject of outrageous, untrue 11 00:00:39,799 --> 00:00:44,719 statements and hurt full rumor, innuendo and speculation. Let me 12 00:00:44,799 --> 00:00:48,640 state from the start I was naive, foolish, and gullible 13 00:00:49,159 --> 00:00:52,159 to put any trust in Jeffrey Epstein. He was a 14 00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:55,399 con man. And while I was conned, I have done 15 00:00:55,399 --> 00:00:58,840 nothing wrong and have nothing to hide. I completely and 16 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:03,280 irrevocably cut ties with Epstein nearly twenty years ago when 17 00:01:03,320 --> 00:01:06,040 I learned that he was an abuser, a crook, and 18 00:01:06,120 --> 00:01:10,400 a liar. And let me be crystal clear, I never 19 00:01:10,480 --> 00:01:14,319 witnessed nor had any knowledge of Epstein's criminal activity. I 20 00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:17,439 was never a participant nor a co conspirator in any 21 00:01:17,480 --> 00:01:22,959 of Epstein's legal activity. To my enormous embarrassment and regret, I, 22 00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:26,879 like many others, were duped by a world class con man. 23 00:01:28,040 --> 00:01:30,719 I can undo that part of my personal history, even 24 00:01:30,760 --> 00:01:35,519 as I regret ever having met him. Before going any further, though, 25 00:01:35,840 --> 00:01:39,319 I want to acknowledge the survivors of Epstein's terrible crimes 26 00:01:39,480 --> 00:01:42,760 and the devastation that each of them has endured as 27 00:01:42,799 --> 00:01:46,599 a result. The pain that he inflicted upon them is 28 00:01:46,719 --> 00:01:50,640 unfathomable to me. My heart goes out to each one 29 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:53,959 of them. I want you to know something about the 30 00:01:53,959 --> 00:01:57,400 man seated before you. I am eighty eight years old, 31 00:01:57,640 --> 00:02:01,200 a husband to Abigail since nineteen ninety three, the father 32 00:02:01,560 --> 00:02:06,040 of four adult children, and proudly a grandfather. I've lived 33 00:02:06,079 --> 00:02:10,439 in Ohio my entire life. I'm a philanthropist, community builder, 34 00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:15,759 business owner, and founder and former CEO of L Brands. 35 00:02:16,400 --> 00:02:19,360 I constantly strived to live my life in an ethical 36 00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:23,439 manner in line with my moral compass, devoting time and 37 00:02:23,639 --> 00:02:29,280 energy to my faith, my community, my business, my L 38 00:02:29,360 --> 00:02:33,639 Brand's associates, and my family and my friends. I founded 39 00:02:33,680 --> 00:02:36,319 the Limited Stores in nineteen sixty three with a five 40 00:02:36,319 --> 00:02:39,960 thousand dollars loan from my ant Ida. I grew the 41 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:44,199 company from one small store the limited by creating, acquiring, 42 00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:48,919 and leading the development of a large, multidivisional retail company 43 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:53,319 of brands such as Express, Bath and Body Works, Victoria's 44 00:02:53,319 --> 00:02:58,080 secret learner Lane Bryant, Abercrombie and Fitch, and Henry Bendel. 45 00:02:59,080 --> 00:03:02,400 I took the company public in nineteen sixty nine and 46 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:06,039 was the longest serving CEO of a publicly traded company 47 00:03:06,199 --> 00:03:10,719 at the time of my retirement in twenty twenty. While 48 00:03:10,759 --> 00:03:15,000 also running ol brands, I planned, marketed, designed, and developed 49 00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:18,120 both the Village of New Aubany, one of the largest 50 00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:22,400 planned communities in America, and Eastern Town Center, an innovative 51 00:03:22,479 --> 00:03:27,840 outdoor retail center in my hometown of Columbus, Ohio. As 52 00:03:27,879 --> 00:03:31,319 an important part of my long standing commitment to philanthropy, 53 00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:36,800 I created and continue to personally participate in the Wexner Foundation, 54 00:03:37,240 --> 00:03:41,879 which develops leaders and public servants. The total amount of 55 00:03:41,919 --> 00:03:47,240 our family's philanthropic giving to worthy causes exceeds a billion dollars. 56 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:51,879 Nearly every waking hour during my work weeks was spent 57 00:03:52,120 --> 00:03:56,560 on the business. My weekends were also filled by business responsibilities, 58 00:03:57,439 --> 00:04:02,400 my real estate development interests, community charitable projects, and ultimately 59 00:04:02,479 --> 00:04:07,439 my growing family. Given these demanding time commitments, I long 60 00:04:07,479 --> 00:04:11,680 ago began hiring others to manage my personal finances, starting 61 00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:15,919 with Harold Levine, then Epstein, followed by Dennis Hirsch, and 62 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:19,639 now a combination of my wife Abigail and then outside 63 00:04:19,680 --> 00:04:24,160 multi family office. I was introduced to Epstein in the 64 00:04:24,199 --> 00:04:27,600 mid to late eighties by Bob Measter, the former vice 65 00:04:27,639 --> 00:04:31,959 chairman of Aon. Bob knew I needed help managing my 66 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:37,040 personal finances and suggested that I speak with Epstein. I 67 00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:41,240 did not rely solely on Bob's recommendation. I consulted a 68 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:45,959 Screenberg and Jimmy Kaine of bear Stearns, Epstein's former employer, 69 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:52,160 both of whom endorsed Epstein without hesitation. Epstein also offered 70 00:04:52,199 --> 00:04:56,639 a reference, Eli de Rothschild. When I spoke with Eli 71 00:04:57,000 --> 00:05:01,160 or Ellie, he highly recommended Epstein based upon work Epstein 72 00:05:01,199 --> 00:05:05,120 had done for his family. At first, Epstein was unwilling 73 00:05:05,199 --> 00:05:08,120 to take me on as a client. In fact, for 74 00:05:08,199 --> 00:05:11,439 the first few years I was acquainted with him, Epstein 75 00:05:11,480 --> 00:05:15,279 offered me advice here and there, while explaining that giving 76 00:05:15,319 --> 00:05:19,360 individual finance advice was not his focus, and refusing to 77 00:05:19,399 --> 00:05:23,480 accept compensation. He said he was assisting me as a favor. 78 00:05:24,199 --> 00:05:27,319 Little did I realize that from the very start, Epstein 79 00:05:27,399 --> 00:05:31,839 was conniving to gain my trust. As my financial resources 80 00:05:31,879 --> 00:05:35,680 and time demands continued to grow, I formally hired Epstein 81 00:05:35,879 --> 00:05:39,759 to manage my personal finances because my public company and 82 00:05:39,839 --> 00:05:43,560 other duties required my full attention. I provided Epstein with 83 00:05:43,600 --> 00:05:46,920 a power of attorney so he could execute transactions quickly 84 00:05:47,399 --> 00:05:51,319 without constantly requiring my signature. The need for power of 85 00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:54,120 attorney was clear to me, and I provided the same 86 00:05:54,160 --> 00:05:57,319 scope of authority to Epstein as I did to his successor, 87 00:05:57,639 --> 00:06:02,319 Dennis Hirsch. What I did not endnticipate was Epstein misusing 88 00:06:02,319 --> 00:06:06,480 the trust I placed in them, despite his fiduciary obligations 89 00:06:06,519 --> 00:06:10,079 to act in my best interest. What is so clear 90 00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:13,399 only now is that Epstein lived a double life. He 91 00:06:13,519 --> 00:06:18,560 was clever, diabolical, and a master manipulator. He was meticulous 92 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:22,240 and revealing to me only glimpses into the life in 93 00:06:22,319 --> 00:06:25,959 which he was a sophisticated financial guru who consulted with 94 00:06:26,040 --> 00:06:33,720 heads of state, high ranking politicians, royalty university presidents, professors, CEOs, musicians, 95 00:06:33,759 --> 00:06:37,759 and other luminaries. He was a member of the Trilateral 96 00:06:37,800 --> 00:06:41,920 Commission and was a trustee at Rockefeller University. While I 97 00:06:42,040 --> 00:06:45,399 did not socialize in Epstein's social circle, he often told 98 00:06:45,439 --> 00:06:49,319 me about his famous acquaintances and important positions that he held, 99 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:52,800 and at times I experienced what seemed to be random 100 00:06:52,879 --> 00:06:58,680 chance encounters, probably orchestrated by Epstein, with prominent individuals who 101 00:06:58,680 --> 00:07:01,759 said they knew Epstein. Over the course of many years, 102 00:07:02,079 --> 00:07:05,879 he carefully used his acquaintance with important individuals to curate 103 00:07:06,079 --> 00:07:09,680 an aura of legitimacy that he then used to expand 104 00:07:09,680 --> 00:07:14,959 his network of acquaintances and apparent credibility even farther. The 105 00:07:15,120 --> 00:07:18,600 other life that he led that we now know was 106 00:07:18,680 --> 00:07:22,720 full of unthinkable crimes he most carefully and fully hid 107 00:07:22,720 --> 00:07:26,439 from me. He knew I would never have tolerated his 108 00:07:26,480 --> 00:07:29,839 horrible behavior, not any of it. At no time did 109 00:07:29,839 --> 00:07:32,480 I have her witness the side of Epstein's life for 110 00:07:32,600 --> 00:07:36,279 which he is now famous. I'm the father of two girls, 111 00:07:36,439 --> 00:07:39,560 now women, and the thought of what he did makes 112 00:07:39,560 --> 00:07:43,519 me sick. I dated Abigail for three years and have 113 00:07:43,639 --> 00:07:47,360 been married to her for thirty three years were completely 114 00:07:47,360 --> 00:07:50,639 devoted to each other. And to be clear, never once 115 00:07:50,959 --> 00:07:54,160 in the thirty six years have I been unfaithful to 116 00:07:54,199 --> 00:07:59,360 Abigail in any way, shape or form. Never any suggestion 117 00:07:59,480 --> 00:08:04,319 to the contrary is absolutely and entirely false. Again, to 118 00:08:04,399 --> 00:08:07,720 be clear, I never saw or heard about Epstein being 119 00:08:07,759 --> 00:08:10,879 in the company of a minor girl. To the contrary, 120 00:08:10,959 --> 00:08:13,800 he led me to believe he was in serious and 121 00:08:13,959 --> 00:08:18,160 long term relationships with two women, doctor Eva Anderson and 122 00:08:18,319 --> 00:08:22,800 later Glenn Maxwell, both of whom he said he contemplated marrying. 123 00:08:24,439 --> 00:08:27,360 I was never on his airplane. Contrary to rumor, I 124 00:08:27,399 --> 00:08:30,360 did not give Epstein the New York townhouse he purchased 125 00:08:30,360 --> 00:08:33,360 it from me for what I was told was a 126 00:08:33,440 --> 00:08:37,240 praised value. After we moved out, I never set foot 127 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:41,639 in that house again. I visited Epstein's island only once, 128 00:08:41,919 --> 00:08:45,440 shortly after he purchased it, when Abigail, our young children, 129 00:08:45,759 --> 00:08:48,399 and I stopped for a few hours one morning while 130 00:08:48,399 --> 00:08:51,919 we were on a cruise on our boat. Again, the 131 00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:53,960 side of Epstein that he chose to reveal to me 132 00:08:54,639 --> 00:08:58,080 was different from the predator he eventually was exposed to be. 133 00:08:58,840 --> 00:09:02,919 As I have stated before, my contact with Epstein entirely 134 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:07,879 terminated nearly twenty years ago. In late two thousand and six, 135 00:09:08,159 --> 00:09:10,759 Epstein told Abigail that he had a legal issue in 136 00:09:10,799 --> 00:09:15,120 Palm Beach, but insisted that what he referred to as baseless, 137 00:09:15,440 --> 00:09:18,919 trumped up charges by an over regressive police chief would 138 00:09:18,919 --> 00:09:23,480 be dismissed. In two thousand and seven, however, Epstein informed 139 00:09:23,519 --> 00:09:26,799 Abigail that his situation could become messy and that he 140 00:09:26,879 --> 00:09:29,600 might have to spend time away. To say the least, 141 00:09:29,879 --> 00:09:34,279 this was shocking. At the same time, Epstein suggested that 142 00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:38,720 Abigail could handle our personal finances if he were to 143 00:09:38,720 --> 00:09:42,240 become unavailable, and for the first time, he provided her 144 00:09:42,360 --> 00:09:46,080 with the financial information she would need. Due to the 145 00:09:46,120 --> 00:09:49,360 complexity of the information, it took time to unravel, but 146 00:09:49,440 --> 00:09:53,080 after reviewing the information, it became clear to Abigail that 147 00:09:53,120 --> 00:09:57,519 Epstein had stolen vast sums from our family. Once I 148 00:09:57,600 --> 00:10:00,799 learned about his abuse of conduct and theft from my family, 149 00:10:01,519 --> 00:10:06,039 I never spoke to Epstein again. Never. In September of 150 00:10:06,039 --> 00:10:08,960 two thousand and seven, nine months before he pled guilty 151 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:12,440 in Florida, we revoked Epstein's power of attorney, removed his 152 00:10:12,519 --> 00:10:15,840 access to our bank accounts, and forced him to resign 153 00:10:16,279 --> 00:10:21,639 from all affiliated entities. Confronted with his financial wrongdoing by Abigail, 154 00:10:21,799 --> 00:10:26,080 Epstein agreed and did return a substantial amount of money, 155 00:10:26,360 --> 00:10:30,360 even while continuing to maintain his total innocence of any wrongdoing, 156 00:10:30,759 --> 00:10:34,639 never dropping the con In light of his eventual guilty 157 00:10:34,679 --> 00:10:38,559 plea and deception of our family, we completely severed our 158 00:10:38,600 --> 00:10:44,240 relationship with Epstein. Epstein was permanently and irrevocably out of 159 00:10:44,240 --> 00:10:48,399 my life. While others visited Epstein in jail and associated 160 00:10:48,440 --> 00:10:52,159 with him after his release, I did not, nor did 161 00:10:52,200 --> 00:10:55,559 I witness, condone or enable his crimes in any way. 162 00:10:56,440 --> 00:10:58,440 I want to thank the committee for its effort to 163 00:10:58,440 --> 00:11:01,679 get to the bottom of Epstein's and a legal activity. 164 00:11:02,279 --> 00:11:05,480 I hope you are successful in uncovering the truth and 165 00:11:05,519 --> 00:11:09,320 bring enclosure to all survivors. If I'm able to assist 166 00:11:09,320 --> 00:11:12,960 you in that effort in answering your questions, I'm grateful 167 00:11:13,000 --> 00:11:16,240 for the opportunity to do so. All right, So that 168 00:11:16,399 --> 00:11:19,080 is the statement made by Les Wexner, And as you 169 00:11:19,120 --> 00:11:21,879 can imagine, I have a few things to add, but 170 00:11:22,000 --> 00:11:24,360 we're going to do that in a different episode, so 171 00:11:24,519 --> 00:11:27,480 this one can stand on its own. That way, you 172 00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:30,960 folks can listen to his words and come to your 173 00:11:30,960 --> 00:11:35,000 own conclusion if you believe what he's saying or if 174 00:11:35,039 --> 00:11:38,879 you don't. All of the information that goes with this 175 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:42,399 episode can be found in the description box.