L Brands CEO Les Wexner taps former SEC head for legal help over Jeffrey Epstein fallout
L Brand CEO Leslie Wexner is reportedly bringing on top legal talent as the head of Victoria’s Secret parent company finds himself further entangled in the Jeffrey Epstein saga after accusing the alleged child sex trafficker of misappropriating vast sums of his fortune.
According to CNN, Wexner hired Mary Jo White -- a criminal defense attorney at Debevoise & Plimpton LLP and the former Securities and Exchange chairwoman -- who has reached out to prosecutors examining Epstein, a millionaire hedge fund manager and convicted pedophile who died by apparent suicide on Saturday.
White did not immediately respond to request for comment. A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan could not immediately be reached.
Wexner and others in Epstein’s inner-circle are bolstering their legal defenses as attention shifts to his estate and intricate web of connections with the world’s most influential businessmen and top political figures.
Prosecutors have gathered evidence from Epstein’s Manhattan mansion, as well as his private Caribbean island – a raid that occurred days after his death, signaling that legal pressure will not subside as the investigation into how Epstein appeared to commit suicide while in jail also accelerates.
Attorneys for girls as young as 14 years old who have accused Epstein of sexual abuse vowed to continue to seek justice. Attorney General William Barr and Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman also committed to maintaining the probe.
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Mary Jo White is interviewed at Reuters Financial Regulation Summit in Washington, U.S. May 17, 2016. REUTERS/Gary Cameron
"Any co-conspirators should not rest easy. The victims deserve justice and they will get it," Barr said on Monday.
Epstein reportedly said that criminalizing sex with minors was a “cultural aberration,” relating it to homosexuality, which is still considered illegal in some countries, according to the New York Times.
Among other claims, Epstein told the reporter that he had detailed information on the lewd activities of Silicon Valley executives. While the interview was conducted on background, the outlet published some information following Epstein’s death.
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Epstein’s death on Saturday is prompting a flurry of questions, largely due to his relationships with influential figures like former President Bill Clinton, President Donald Trump and Prince Andrew.
In one instance of the depth of his connections, Epstein claimed he was helping Tesla founder Elon Musk during his legal dispute with the SEC last year. Tesla denied the report in a statement to FOX Business.