Les Wexner built a retail empire from a single Ohio store, only to see his legacy consumed by scandal over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Now 88 and worth $11.6 billion, he faces unanswered questions after a 2026 congressional deposition.

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Founder of L Brands: 1963 · Net worth (2025): $11.6 billion (Bloomberg Billionaires Index) · Age: 88 (born September 8, 1937) · Stepped down as CEO: 2020 · Congressional deposition: February 2026 · Political affiliation: Republican donor

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Full extent of Wexner’s knowledge of Epstein’s crimes
  • Precise amount Epstein allegedly stole from Wexner
  • Whether Wexner will face any legal consequences
3Timeline signal
  • 1963: Opens first The Limited store
  • 1982: Acquires Victoria’s Secret
  • 2019: Epstein arrested; ties to Wexner revealed
  • 2026: Congressional testimony
4What’s next
  • Ongoing House Oversight committee investigation
  • Potential civil lawsuits from Epstein victims
  • Wexner remains chairman emeritus of L Brands

Six key facts about Les Wexner, drawn from the best available sources.

Fact Detail
Full name Leslie Herbert Wexner (Wikipedia)
Born September 8, 1937, Dayton, Ohio, USA (Wikipedia)
Net worth $11.6 billion (Bloomberg, 2025) (Bloomberg Billionaires Index)
Spouse Abigail Wexner (married 1993) (Forbes)
Children 4 (Harry, Sarah, Hannah, David) (Forbes)
Companies founded L Brands (The Limited, Victoria’s Secret, Bath & Body Works) (Bloomberg Billionaires Index)

Why did Les Wexner step down?

What led to his resignation from L Brands?

  • The Epstein scandal intensified after Epstein’s 2019 arrest, revealing that Epstein had managed Wexner’s finances for years. Wexner faced pressure from investors and the board over his association with the convicted sex offender (BBC News).
  • In 2020, Wexner stepped down as CEO of L Brands, citing a desire to focus on family and philanthropy. He remained chairman until 2022 (Politico).

When exactly did he step down?

  • Wexner resigned as CEO on February 2, 2020. He later left the chairman role in May 2022, becoming chairman emeritus (Fox News).

The implication: Wexner’s exit was directly tied to the Epstein fallout, but he retained influence and ownership stakes long after.

How did Les Wexner make his money?

What was his first store?

  • In 1963, Wexner opened The Limited, a women’s clothing store in Columbus, Ohio. The concept targeted younger women with affordable, fashionable clothes (Bloomberg Billionaires Index).
  • The store grew into a chain, and by 1969 The Limited went public (Academy of Achievement).

How did he build Victoria’s Secret and Bath & Body Works?

  • In 1982, Wexner bought Victoria’s Secret for $1 million. He repositioned it from a lingerie catalog to a mall-based retail powerhouse (Academy of Achievement).
  • He launched Bath & Body Works in 1990, which became a second massive brand under L Brands. At its peak, L Brands operated over 3,000 stores (Bloomberg Billionaires Index).

What this means: Wexner’s fortune was built on identifying underserved retail niches and scaling them rapidly from Ohio.

What is Les Wexner’s political affiliation?

Is Les Wexner a Democrat or Republican?

  • Wexner is a registered Republican and a major donor to Republican candidates and causes (Politico).
  • He has also donated to some Ohio Democrats, including former Governor Ted Strickland, but the vast majority of his contributions have gone to GOP campaigns (Fox News).

Does Les Wexner support Trump?

  • Wexner donated to Donald Trump’s campaign and attended events at the White House. In his 2026 deposition, Wexner said Epstein would name-drop Trump to impress him (Politico).

The pattern: Wexner used political donations to build influence, but the Epstein scandal complicated those relationships.

What did Les Wexner’s Congressional deposition reveal about Jeffrey Epstein?

How was Wexner connected to Epstein?

  • Epstein served as Wexner’s personal financial advisor for over a decade. Wexner gave Epstein power of attorney and control over his finances (PBS NewsHour).
  • Al Jazeera reported that Epstein used Wexner’s name and foundation to gain access to elite circles (Al Jazeera).

What did he tell Congress?

  • In his February 2026 deposition to the House Oversight Committee, Wexner claimed Epstein stole “vast sums” from him and his foundation. He expressed regret for trusting Epstein and called himself “naive” (BBC News).
  • Politico reported that Wexner denied any knowledge of Epstein’s crimes and said he was “conned” by Epstein (Politico).

Why this matters: The deposition was seen as a key moment in the Epstein investigations, but Wexner did not face charges. The full extent of his knowledge remains unclear.

Where does Les Wexner live today?

Does he still live in Ohio?

  • Wexner’s primary residence is a large estate in New Albany, Ohio, a wealthy suburb of Columbus. He also owns a home in Florida (SuperYachtFan).
  • He has not relocated despite the scandal, and remains active in the Columbus community through the Wexner Foundation (PBS NewsHour).

The trade-off: Living in Ohio keeps him close to his business roots, but also keeps him under the microscope of local media and federal investigators.

Timeline of Les Wexner’s key events

The following chronology tracks Wexner’s life from birth to his recent congressional testimony.

Year Event
1937 Born in Dayton, Ohio (Wikipedia)
1963 Opened first The Limited store in Columbus, Ohio (Bloomberg Billionaires Index)
1982 Acquired Victoria’s Secret (Academy of Achievement)
1990s–2000s Expanded Bath & Body Works, became billionaire (Bloomberg Billionaires Index)
2019 Epstein arrested; ties to Wexner revealed (BBC News)
2020 Stepped down as CEO of L Brands (Politico)
2022 Left chairman role, became chairman emeritus (Fox News)
February 2026 Testified before Congress about Epstein (PBS NewsHour)

Clarity: What’s confirmed and what remains unclear

Confirmed facts

  • Birth date and place: September 8, 1937, Dayton, Ohio (Wikipedia)
  • Founding of L Brands and key acquisitions (Bloomberg)
  • Stepped down as CEO in 2020 (BBC)
  • Testified before Congress in February 2026 (Politico)
  • Net worth at least $6.5 billion (Forbes) (Forbes)

What’s unclear

  • Full extent of Wexner’s knowledge of Epstein’s crimes
  • Precise amount Epstein allegedly stole from Wexner (Wexner says “vast sums” but no figure has been confirmed) (BBC)
  • Whether Wexner will face any legal consequences

Wexner’s net worth estimate varies by source. Bloomberg pegs it at $11.6 billion, while Forbes reports a lower figure of $6.5 billion—a gap that reflects differing asset valuations and the opacity of his private holdings.

Quotes from the deposition and media

“I was naive. I was conned. Epstein stole vast sums from me and from my foundation.”

— Les Wexner, testimony to House Oversight Committee, February 2026 (PBS NewsHour)

“Wexner said he had been ‘naive’ and ‘conned’ in relation to Epstein, but denied any knowledge of Epstein’s crimes.”

— BBC News (BBC News)

“The former Victoria’s Secret CEO testified that Epstein namedropped prominent figures, including Donald Trump, when speaking to him.”

— Politico (Politico)

For Wexner, the congressional deposition was a reckoning, but his legacy remains tangled. The implication for other billionaires with close ties to controversial figures: transparency now can prevent a harder fall later.

Additional sources

ndtv.com, youtube.com

För en djupare inblick i hans ekonomi och personliga historia, se Les Wexners biografi och förmögenhet som sammanfattar detaljerna kring hans förmögenhet och skandalens påverkan.

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Frequently asked questions

How did Les Wexner meet Jeffrey Epstein?

According to Wexner’s testimony, Epstein was introduced to him by a mutual acquaintance in the mid-1980s. Epstein quickly gained Wexner’s trust and became his financial advisor (PBS NewsHour).

What is Les Wexner’s educational background?

Wexner earned a bachelor’s degree from Ohio State University in 1959 and later received an honorary doctorate (Wikipedia).

Is Les Wexner still involved with L Brands?

Wexner retired as chairman in 2022 and holds the title of chairman emeritus. He no longer has operational control but remains a significant shareholder (Fox News).

How much did Les Wexner donate to political campaigns?

Wexner has donated millions to Republican candidates and PACs over decades. According to Politico, he was a top donor to Trump’s 2016 campaign (Politico).

What is the Wexner Foundation?

The Wexner Foundation is a philanthropic organization that funds leadership programs, Jewish education, and the arts, and has donated heavily to Ohio State University (Al Jazeera).

Does Les Wexner have any criminal charges?

No. Wexner has not been charged with any crime. The House Oversight Committee investigation is ongoing, but no indictment has been suggested (Politico).

How many stores did L Brands operate at its peak?

At its peak in the late 2010s, L Brands operated over 3,000 stores across Victoria’s Secret and Bath & Body Works (Bloomberg Billionaires Index).

What is Les Wexner’s relationship with Abigail Wexner?

Abigail Wexner is his wife, married since 1993. She is a philanthropist and co-founder of the Wexner Foundation (Forbes).

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