How Victoria's Secret's Success Helped Create The Jeffrey Epstein Monster
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The new Hulu docuseries Victoria’s Secret: Angels and Demons drops today, and it is guaranteed to leave you with a whole lot of questions. The three-part series explores how the lingerie company was pegged as a “ladies’ paradise” that had “nothing to do with men,” before diving into the story of billionaire Leslie "Les" Wexner, a former executive of the company he founded, L Brands, which was Victoria's Secret's parent company at the time.
While the doc calls Wexner a “genius," it also touches into his complicated relationship with convicted sex offender and former financier Jeffrey Epstein. In case you’re not familiar with Epstein, he died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting his trial on sex trafficking charges.
Among other things, Epstein was accused of sexually abusing several girls and paying dozens of underage girls for sex acts, according to The New York Times. The outlet notes that Wexner was repeatedly warned by friends and colleagues about Epstein and his alleged behavior, but Wexner maintains that he was not aware of Epstein's crimes.
Now, Epstein is dead, and everyone has a *lot* of questions about his relationship with Wexner.
So, what went on between Wexner and Epstein? And how did they know each other in the first place? Here’s everything you need to know.
How did Epstein and Wexner meet?
Epstein and Wexner first met around 1986 after being introduced by a Wexner's friend Robert Meister, according to Vanity Fair. And Epstein won Wexner's trust after convincing him not to invest in the stock market before it crashed.
Wexner, who owned a company he founded in 1963 called L Brands (which has now split into Victoria's Secret and Bath & Body Works), hired Epstein on as his financial adviser.
In 2019, Wexner wrote a letter to his foundation claiming that he hired Epstein because friends “recommended him as a knowledgeable financial professional," per Vanity Fair.
The mogul eventually ended up giving Epstein his "power of attorney," meaning Epstein could act on his behalf in private, business, and legal matters, according to the documentary. This is a big deal for someone with as much money as Wexner, and it's especially interesting since that title usually goes to a spouse, family member, or very close friend.
Wexner also authorized Epstein to borrow money on his behalf, to sign his tax returns, to hire people and to make acquisitions, according to The New York Times.
Was Wexner involved in Epstein's affairs?
Well, it's not entirely clear. No connections to Epstein's criminal lifestyle have ever been proven.
But their ties did extend past the workplace: Epstein ended up owning a New York mansion, a private plane, and luxury estate in Ohio, all of which were previously owned by Wexner or tied to his companies, per the New York Times.
Wexner stated in a letter to L Brands employees obtained by the New York Times that he was “NEVER aware of the illegal activity charged in the indictment.” He added, “I would never have guessed that a person I employed more than a decade ago could have caused such pain to so many people.”
But friends and employees apparently told Wexner to be wary of Epstein after news of his concerning activities circulated, including the very same friend who introduced them, per Forbes.
Also of note: Epstein was accused of misappropriating more than $46 million of Les’ personal fortune. But Wexner did not initially report the alleged crime to the FBI, Forbes reported.
What else has Wexner said about their relationship?
Not a lot.
However, during a speech in 2019, Wexner did have this to say: “Being taken advantage of by someone who was so sick, so cunning, so depraved is something that I’m embarrassed that I was even close to," per Vanity Fair.
What happened to Les Wexner?
In 2020, Wexner stepped down as chairman and CEO at L Brands, Victoria's Secret's parent company, according to Forbes. He then sold a majority stake of the company (30 million shares) for around $2 billion, the outlet reported. And he now owns less than two percent of the stock.
What was Jeffrey Epstein’s net worth?
Epstein's net worth sat at over $577.6 million according to paperwork in his final will, per Newsweek.
What is Les Wexner’s net worth?
Wexner is worth $6.6 billion, according to Forbes. He owns or once owned the following companies:
Bath & Body Works
Victoria’s Secret
The Limited
Abercrombie & Fitch
Express
Henri Bendel
Lane Bryant
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