The glittering runway lights bathed the Victoria’s Secret Angels in ethereal glow, their wings and smiles selling fantasies of empowerment and allure to millions—yet behind the empire stood Les Wexner, the billionaire visionary who built it all, unknowingly—or perhaps not—handing the keys to a monster.
In the late 1980s, Wexner, the Ohio retail titan who transformed Victoria’s Secret into a global phenomenon, met Jeffrey Epstein through a mutual connection. What began as financial advice spiraled into an extraordinarily close bond: Wexner granted Epstein sweeping power of attorney over his vast fortune, signed his taxes, and even transferred properties like a lavish New York townhouse and access to private jets.
Epstein exploited this proximity shamelessly, posing as a Victoria’s Secret recruiter to lure young aspiring models into private encounters that turned predatory—groping, assaulting, and shattering dreams under the brand’s glamorous name. Victims like Alicia Arden fled in terror after hotel-room “auditions” gone horribly wrong, their warnings reaching company executives but seemingly ignored for years.
How could the man who crowned the Angels let such darkness linger so close to his throne?
The glittering runway lights of Victoria’s Secret fashion shows once symbolized fantasy, empowerment, and unbridled allure, with Angels strutting in elaborate wings and diamond-studded bras before millions of viewers. Behind this empire stood Les Wexner, the visionary Ohio billionaire who acquired the struggling lingerie brand in 1982 and transformed it into a global powerhouse under L Brands (formerly The Limited), generating billions in revenue through seductive marketing and celebrity models.
Yet this glittering throne cast long shadows. In the mid-to-late 1980s, Wexner met Jeffrey Epstein through mutual connections, initially seeking financial advice. What began as professional guidance evolved into an extraordinarily intimate and trusting relationship. By 1991, Wexner granted Epstein sweeping power of attorney over his personal fortune, allowing him to sign tax returns, borrow money, hire staff, make acquisitions, and manage vast assets. Epstein became Wexner’s sole known major client as a money manager, gaining credibility from the association.
The bond deepened further: Epstein acquired properties linked to Wexner, including a luxurious New York townhouse on East 71st Street—originally purchased by Wexner for millions and later transferred to Epstein around 1998, becoming the site of much alleged abuse. Epstein also used Wexner’s private jet, lived near his Ohio estate in New Albany (a community Wexner developed), and held trustee roles in Wexner’s foundations.
Epstein shamelessly exploited this proximity to Victoria’s Secret. He posed as a recruiter or talent scout for the brand—despite no official role—luring aspiring models with promises of catalog spots or runway opportunities. In 1997, Alicia Arden arrived at a Santa Monica hotel “audition” expecting professional feedback, only for Epstein to grope her, tug at her clothes, and demand to “manhandle” her body under the guise of a fitting. She fled and filed a police report the next day. Senior executives at The Limited reportedly learned of Epstein’s unauthorized impersonations in the mid-1990s and alerted Wexner, yet no decisive action appears to have followed, allowing the deception to persist.
Victims like Maria Farmer described young girls, some in school uniforms, being told they were auditioning for Victoria’s Secret at Epstein’s properties. The brand’s glamorous name became a predatory lure, drawing vulnerable women into grooming, assaults, and trafficking orchestrated by Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
Wexner has consistently denied knowledge of Epstein’s criminal activities, stating he severed ties in 2007 after Epstein’s initial legal troubles surfaced (Epstein’s 2008 plea deal for soliciting a minor). Wexner later accused Epstein of misappropriating tens of millions—possibly $46 million—from him, though he never pursued legal recovery. In statements, Wexner expressed embarrassment at being “deceived” by someone he trusted, insisting he would never have associated with anyone capable of such “abhorrent” behavior.
Critics question how Wexner, a meticulous businessman, missed red flags—warnings from advisors labeling Epstein untrustworthy, executive concerns about his impersonations, and the financier’s lavish lifestyle funded by their ties. Some speculate deeper leverage or personal closeness enabled the blind spot. While no criminal charges have implicated Wexner, his association tainted Victoria’s Secret’s legacy, contributing to cultural shifts, declining sales, and his 2020 retirement from L Brands amid scrutiny.
How could the man who crowned the Angels allow such darkness to linger so close? The unanswered questions—about oversight, ignored warnings, and the full extent of influence—continue to haunt the once-iconic empire, a stark reminder that glamour can conceal profound moral failures.
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