Rep. Ansari Doubts Wexner's Epstein Testimony Credibility

Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.) publicly questioned the credibility of billionaire Les Wexner’s testimony about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, following a congressional deposition on Wednesday.¹

“Very hard to believe,” Ansari told CNN host Kaitlan Collins on “The Source” when asked about Wexner’s testimony.¹ Ansari serves on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which deposed Wexner about his ties to the convicted sex offender.¹

Ansari told Collins that she entered the deposition with doubts about Wexner’s account.¹

Wexner Testimony

Wexner, the founder of L Brands and former CEO of Victoria’s Secret, testified before the committee on Wednesday about his relationship with Epstein.¹

The billionaire retailer had extensive financial ties to Epstein for more than a decade. In previous statements, Wexner has claimed Epstein misappropriated money from him, though he maintained a close relationship with Epstein throughout the 1990s and early 2000s.

Congress subpoenaed Wexner as part of an ongoing investigation into Epstein’s network of associates. Wexner’s name appeared unredacted in recently released Epstein files.

Congressional Scrutiny

Ansari’s public comments signal skepticism among some committee members about accounts provided by Epstein’s former associates.¹ The congresswoman did not specify which aspects of Wexner’s testimony she questioned in her CNN interview.¹

The House Oversight Committee has conducted multiple witness interviews as part of its Epstein investigation. Wednesday’s deposition was closed to the public, following standard committee procedure for depositions.

The committee has not announced whether it will release a transcript of Wexner’s testimony or call additional witnesses in the coming weeks.

Epstein died in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. His associate Ghislaine Maxwell is serving a 20-year federal prison sentence after her 2021 conviction on sex trafficking charges.

References

1. The Hill — “House Democrat: ‘Very hard to believe’ Wexner testimony”