Arabic version: ليز ويكسر يعترف بسذاجته في علاقته بإبستين خلال شهادة أمام الكونغرس

Billionaire Les Wexner, former CEO of Victoria’s Secret, testified before a House committee, stating he was ‘naive, foolish and gullible’ for trusting Jeffrey Epstein. Wexner accused Epstein of stealing ‘vast sums’ of money from his family while serving as his financial adviser. His testimony comes amid an investigation into Epstein’s actions and their implications.

According to BBC News, Wexner was described as a potential co-conspirator of Epstein’s in a 2019 FBI document, although no charges were ever brought against him. Lawmakers questioned Wexner’s awareness of Epstein’s crimes, suggesting he had knowledge but failed to intervene.

Wexner’s appearance before the House of Representatives Oversight Committee was attended solely by Democratic lawmakers, as no Republican lawmakers traveled for it. Congressman Robert Garcia emphasized that Epstein’s wealth was significantly supported by Wexner, indicating a deeper connection between the two men.

In his defense, Wexner maintained that his relationship with Epstein was limited and denied any involvement in Epstein’s illegal activities. He expressed a desire to ‘set the record straight’ and stated he was pleased to testify, emphasizing that he had been misled by Epstein’s deceitful nature.

The relationship between Wexner and Epstein dates back to the 1980s, but Wexner claimed to have severed ties after Epstein faced allegations of sexual abuse in Florida. He reiterated that he later discovered Epstein ‘had misappropriated vast sums of money from me and my family’, a statement he repeated in his opening remarks.

Wexner’s legal team has asserted that he cooperated fully with authorities, providing information about Epstein and was not considered a target in the investigation. Despite his claims of ignorance regarding Epstein’s actions, the scrutiny of Wexner’s past relationship with the financier continues as the investigation unfolds.