Les Wexner and Donald Trump

Donald Trump and Les Wexner in business circles

Credible

Both prominent in NYC/Palm Beach social and business circles in the 1980s-90s.

Connection Details

Overview of the Les Wexner and Donald Trump Connection

Les Wexner, an American billionaire businessman and founder of L Brands, and Donald Trump, former U.S. President from 2017 to 2021, shared a social and business connection during the 1980s and 1990s. Both were prominent figures in the elite social circles of New York City and Palm Beach, Florida, during this period. Their relationship, while not extensively documented in depth, is considered credible based on media reports and public records of their overlapping networks. This connection gains additional significance due to both individuals' documented ties to Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender whose trafficking case has drawn intense scrutiny to his associates.

Evidence and Timeline of Interactions

Wexner and Trump were active in similar high-profile environments during the late 20th century, frequently attending the same social events, charity galas, and business gatherings in New York and Palm Beach. Media reports from the era place them in shared spaces, often alongside other influential figures, including Epstein. While no specific personal or business deals between Wexner and Trump have been widely documented, their mutual presence in elite circles is well-established. Photographs and event guest lists from the 1980s and 1990s occasionally feature both men, underscoring their social overlap.

Both individuals also owned significant properties in proximity to each other. Wexner’s estate in New Albany, Ohio, and Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach were hubs for elite gatherings, and Epstein himself was known to frequent these areas. Trump has publicly acknowledged knowing Wexner during this time, though he has not elaborated on the depth of their relationship. The timeline of their interactions aligns with the height of Epstein’s influence in these same circles, particularly in the 1990s, when Epstein managed significant portions of Wexner’s wealth and was a known acquaintance of Trump.

Significance to the Jeffrey Epstein Case

The connection between Wexner and Trump is relevant to the Epstein case primarily due to their individual relationships with Epstein. Wexner was Epstein’s largest known client, granting him power of attorney over his financial affairs in the 1990s, a decision that later raised questions about Epstein’s influence over Wexner’s empire. Trump, meanwhile, was a social acquaintance of Epstein during the same period, famously quoted in a 2002 New York Magazine article as saying Epstein liked “beautiful women as much as I do, many on the younger side.” Trump later stated he banned Epstein from Mar-a-Lago after an unspecified incident, though no direct allegations of wrongdoing have been made against Trump in connection with Epstein’s crimes.

While there is no evidence that Wexner and Trump collaborated directly through Epstein or were involved in his criminal activities, their shared social sphere highlights the breadth of Epstein’s network. This network included powerful individuals across business and politics, many of whom have faced scrutiny following Epstein’s arrest and death in 2019. The Wexner-Trump connection thus serves as a reminder of the interconnected elite circles Epstein navigated, which remain a focal point in ongoing investigations into his trafficking operations.

About the Entities

Related Connections

Les WexnerEast 71st Street Mansion
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Original owner of the Manhattan townhouse, transferred to Epstein under unclear circumstances in 2011.

Les WexnerJ. Epstein & Co.
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Primary known client of Epstein's financial management firm.

Les WexnerLittle St. James Island
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Visited Little St. James Island

Les WexnerVictoria's Secret / L Brands
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Connected to Victoria's Secret / L Brands

Les WexnerGhislaine Maxwell
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Social connection through Epstein, with Maxwell often present at events involving Wexner's circle.

Les WexnerJeffrey Epstein
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Les Wexner, the billionaire founder of L Brands (parent company of Victoria’s Secret), had a significant and well-documented relationship with Jeffrey Epstein spanning over two decades. Their connection began in the late 1980s, with reports suggesting they met around 1986 through mutual acquaintances in the financial and social elite circles of New York and Palm Beach. Wexner became one of Epstein’s most prominent clients, entrusting him with power of attorney over his financial affairs by the early 1990s, an extraordinary level of control that allowed Epstein to manage millions of Wexner’s assets. This financial relationship is detailed in court documents and news investigations, including a 1991 power of attorney agreement. Epstein was also deeply involved in Wexner’s personal life, reportedly advising on real estate and even influencing the design of Wexner’s yacht, Limitless. They were frequently seen together at locations such as Wexner’s properties in New Albany, Ohio, and Epstein’s Palm Beach estate. Flight logs from Epstein’s private jet, the 'Lolita Express,' show Wexner traveled on the plane multiple times between 1995 and 1999, often to destinations like Palm Beach and New York. A notable financial connection includes Epstein’s purchase of a Manhattan townhouse at 9 East 71st Street in 1998, which was originally owned by a trust linked to Wexner, transferred for $20 million under unclear circumstances. Victim testimonies, including those from the Giuffre v. Maxwell case, mention Wexner as a figure in Epstein’s orbit, though no direct allegations of abuse by Wexner have been substantiated in court. Wexner has publicly distanced himself from Epstein, stating in a 2019 letter to L Brands employees that he was 'deceived' by Epstein and severed ties in 2007 after Epstein’s first arrest. Epstein, in a 2003 Vanity Fair interview, described Wexner as a close friend and client. News investigations by outlets like The New York Times and Miami Herald have extensively covered their ties, highlighting Epstein’s role in Wexner’s financial empire and the unanswered questions about the depth of their partnership.