Epstein would ‘name drop’ Trump, Les Wexner says in deposition video

Billionaire retail mogul Leslie Wexner said in a speech this week that she would “name-drop” Jeffrey Epstein as one of many public figures he claims to know President Donald Trump. congressional statement It’s about a notorious sex offender.

Wexner, 88, one of Epstein’s most important clients and benefactors, said that Epstein ” [Trump] “We went out as friends,” according to video of the testimony released by House Democrats on Thursday.

But Wexner, the retired founder of L Brands, the former parent of Victoria’s Secret, said he does not believe Trump and Epstein are truly friends. He also denied seeing or hearing anything to suggest that Trump had sexual intercourse with someone introduced to him by Epstein or his convicted accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell.

He also told lawmakers that both Trump and Epstein would sometimes attend the underwear company’s fashion shows; however, he said it was a “coincidence” and that he did not remember “anything that would bring them together”.

“I remember because Trump was always introducing himself to me, and I thought it was kind of weird that he was going to the fashion show because he had nothing to do with fashion,” Wexner said. he said.

The White House did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment.

The testimony comes as the Justice Department’s recent release of millions of additional files on Epstein raises new questions about the late sex offender’s ties to a growing list of high-profile figures.

Video of the nearly five-hour testimony, which took place Wednesday in New Albany, Ohio, where Wexner lives, was shared on the YouTube account of the Republican majority of the House Oversight Committee.

Democrats on the Oversight panel, who traveled to Ohio for testimony, said: no Republican committee members attended.

They also expressed skepticism about Wexner’s insistence that he had almost no social life with Epstein and promised to continue investigating.

“I don’t believe it when Mr. Wexner says he had no personal relationship or friendly relationship with Epstein,” Rep. Robert Garcia, the panel’s ranking member, told reporters Wednesday.

When asked if he was in a relationship with Trump, Wexner laughed and said he wasn’t. Although they occasionally exchanged glances at fashion shows, “we didn’t know each other,” Wexner said. “I’d be shocked if he remembered me.”

Trump said Epstein never met with Wexner.

But when asked if Epstein had ever spoken to Trump, Wexner paused and then said, “I would mention that and he would drop it.”

“So he’d say things like ‘I know’ [former President Bill] Clinton or I know the Pope or I know God… It was some name dropping but never, I don’t remember [a] “It’s a specific place, but Jeffrey dropped a lot of names.”

Wexner appeared to backtrack when pressed to clarify that Epstein was specifically referring to Trump. “No, I say maybe, but I don’t remember,” he said.

Wexner also said that Epstein never shared any information with him about Trump’s sexual activities.

The comments revealed in the deposition video dovetail with Wexner’s prepared statement to the committee, in which he claims he was “duped” and “defrauded” by Epstein but was not involved in and unaware of any criminal activity.

In his deposition, Wexner also denied meeting with prominent Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre in Epstein’s presence. Giuffre claimed that Wexner sexually harassed her.

In his prepared statement, Wexner said that he had never been unfaithful to his wife in his 33-year marriage.