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A survivor of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse has spoken out in opposition to billionaire Leslie Wexner, describing his latest deposition to members of Congress as “abhorrent.”
Wexner, the 88-year-old founding father of retail conglomerate L Manufacturers, sat for a virtually five-hour deposition Wednesday with members of the Home Oversight Committee. Lawmakers subpoenaed Wexner after the most recent launch of the so-called Epstein information by the Division of Justice revealed new particulars about his relationship with the useless intercourse offender, who as soon as labored as his monetary adviser.
Showing within the Epstein information doesn’t indicate wrongdoing, and Wexner has by no means been charged with against the law. Wexner has additionally denied realizing about Epstein’s prison exercise.
“I used to be naive, silly, and gullible to place any belief in Jeffrey Epstein,” Wexner stated in a press release forward of the interview. “He was a con man. And whereas I used to be conned, I’ve accomplished nothing unsuitable and don’t have anything to cover.”
Maria Farmer, who stated she was abused by Epstein and his convicted co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell at Wexner’s property many years in the past, has now accused the retail mogul of “downplaying his relationship with Epstein” throughout his deposition.
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“I’m glad Wexner’s deposition, this lever of energy, is getting used to attempt to obtain some accountability and justice for the numerous survivors whose trauma has for therefore lengthy been ignored, dismissed, or discounted,” Farmer stated in a press release shared with The Impartial Saturday.
“Wexner’s reported downplaying of his relationship with Epstein is abhorrent, notably given Maxwell’s personal description of him as Epstein’s closest buddy. I’m additionally troubled by Wexner’s said lack of information about my abuse and struggling on his property,” she added.
Farmer stated the abuse started 30 years in the past.
“In the summertime of 1996, I served because the artist-in-residence at Les Wexner’s property. I used to be instructed to acquire a driver’s license utilizing the tackle of Wexner’s residence,” she stated. “Later that summer season, whereas working and residing on Wexner’s property, I suffered abuse by the hands of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.”
Farmer’s assertion included a photograph of her driver’s license on the time, which seems to listing an Ohio tackle.
She additionally stated Epstein stole pictures of her and her minor sisters, which she described as “non-public anatomically-revealing pictures I used for inventive reference and saved numbered in a lockbox.”
“After I tried to flee Wexner’s property, I used to be threatened by his workers and associates, sharpshooters, weapons and guard canine, and held in opposition to my will,” she added.
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Farmer stated she finally escaped and reported Epstein and Maxwell to legislation enforcement.
“I advised the FBI about Epstein and Maxwell’s sexual abuse of me on Wexner’s property, the theft there of the photographs, and being held on Wexner’s property,” she stated.
Farmer’s report back to the FBI was included in a trove of Epstein-related information launched late final 12 months. The doc reveals Farmer advised the company Epstein stole images she had taken of her 12- and 16-year-old sisters. Farmer later stated in an interview this included nude images, in line with The New York Instances
A spokesperson for Wexner directed The Impartial to his opening assertion to the committee, throughout which he acknowledged “the survivors of Epstein’s horrible crimes and the devastation that every of them has endured in consequence,” and stated his “coronary heart goes out to every of them.”
“As Mr. Wexner testified, he by no means even heard of Maria Farmer till her account surfaced within the media,” the spokesperson advised The Impartial. “Ms. Farmer’s assertion is inaccurate in lots of respects. Opposite to her assertion, Epstein’s home, the place the abuse is claimed to have occurred, was not on land owned by the Wexners, was almost one half mile away from the Wexner residence, and was accessed via a separate driveway not managed by Wexner safety. There have been no sharp shooters or guard canine policing Epstein’s property.”
The Impartial has requested further remark from a consultant for Farmer.
Wexner, the previous CEO of Victoria’s Secret, has stated he reduce ties with Epstein in 2007 after discovering the financier was stealing from him. Epstein pleaded responsible to state-level costs of soliciting prostitution in Florida in 2008.
He advised lawmakers Wednesday he was “conned by the World Olympic, all-time con artist.”
“So far as I used to be involved, as soon as we knew how unhealthy he was, he was useless,” he stated.
When requested about Farmer, Wexner replied: “I by no means met her, didn’t know she was right here, didn’t know she was abused.”
The deposition additionally made headlines after Wexner’s lawyer, Michael Levy, was caught on a sizzling mic telling him, “I’ll f***ing kill you in case you reply one other query with greater than 5 phrases.”
The Impartial has contacted Maxwell’s lawyer for remark.
