The U.S. House Oversight Committee has released images that appear to show Columbus billionaire Leslie H. Wexner’s contribution to a 2003 birthday book prepared for Jeffrey Epstein’s 50th birthday.
One page, dated January 20, 2003, includes a handwritten note reading:
“Dear Jeffrey. I wanted to get you what you want, so here it is….” Beneath the message is a crude drawing of a woman’s breasts, followed by the signature: “Happy Birthday your friend Leslie.”
The following page includes a photo of what appears to be Wexner standing with his arm around Epstein at a social gathering. A third person in the photo has been redacted.
The Oversight Committee received the book earlier this year from Epstein’s estate as part of its ongoing investigation into how federal authorities handled Epstein’s case. The book, compiled by Epstein associate and convicted sex offender Ghislaine Maxwell, lists Wexner in the contents under the heading “Friends.”
Back in July, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wexner’s alleged contribution to the book. Monday’s release marks the first time the full image and note have been made public.
Wexner’s Columbus Ties
Wexner, one of the city’s most influential business leaders for decades, founded The Limited in 1963, which grew into the L Brands empire that included Victoria’s Secret, Bath & Body Works, and several other major retail brands. At its height, the company employed tens of thousands in Central Ohio and helped define Columbus as a retail hub.
Wexner and his wife, Abigail, are also among the region’s most prominent philanthropists, donating hundreds of millions through the Wexner Foundation to causes such as education, healthcare, and the arts. Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center and the Wexner Center for the Arts both bear his name.
Those accomplishments have been increasingly viewed through the lens of his longtime association with Epstein, who managed Wexner’s personal finances for years. Wexner has maintained that he severed ties in 2007, more than a decade before Epstein’s 2019 arrest and death by suicide in prison.
After Epstein’s indictment on sex trafficking charges, Wexner emailed employees at L Brands: “Let me assure you that I was NEVER aware of the illegal activity charged in the indictment.”
The Oversight Committee’s release adds to a growing archive of documents shedding light on dark corners of Epstein’s network and relationships with powerful figures.
