Billionaire businessman Les Wexner testified under oath Wednesday that federal law enforcement never interviewed him about his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, despite their well-documented close business ties.
During a House Oversight Committee deposition in New Albany, Ohio, Wexner said he had never been contacted by the FBI or Department of Justice regarding Epstein's activities or investigations.
"Has the FBI or DOJ ever directly contacted you or spoken to you about Epstein?" Wexner was asked.
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"Never," Wexner said during the recorded testimony.
When asked if he spoke to any law enforcement agency about Epstein's 2019 investigation in New York, Wexner again responded: "Never. I don't remember ever talking to any law enforcement agency."
The deposition comes after recently released FBI files alleged that Wexner interacted with young women in Epstein's presence. Only Democratic members of the House Oversight Committee participated in the questioning, with some Republican staff members present.
Democrats expressed dissatisfaction with Wexner's responses, saying they felt he was not being sufficiently forthcoming during the closed-door session.
Wexner is the former CEO of L Brands, the retail company that once owned Victoria’s Secret. The retailer became an independent company in 2021, and is no longer under L Brands’ direct ownership.
The committee also used the opportunity to criticize the Trump administration's handling of the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Democrats claim over 50% of Epstein-related documents have not been released to the public or Congress.
"Donald Trump and Pam Bondi are leading a White House cover-up to protect billionaire wealthy benefactors, whether it's Mr. Wexner or whether it's anybody else," said Rep. Robert Garcia, ranking member of the committee.
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Wexner's testimony is part of ongoing congressional investigations into Epstein's network of associates. The committee has scheduled depositions with Bill and Hillary Clinton for next week at their Chappaqua, New York home.
The Epstein controversy continues to generate headlines as New Mexico's Attorney General has reopened an investigation into Epstein's former Zorro ranch after reviewing recently released FBI files. The ranch was allegedly used for sex trafficking of underage girls.
Editor's Note: This story has been updated to clarify that Les Wexner was not the co-founder of Victoria’s Secret, as previously reported. He was the CEO of L Brands, which at one time was the parent company of Victoria’s Secret.
