Bernie Madoff Stole $65 Billion, One of America’s Most Powerful Tycoons Just Testified Epstein Was Worse
Everyone is rightfully focused on Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking criminality. But new details are shredding light on possible massive financial crimes committed by Epstein.
Les Wexner, the founder of Victoria’s Secret, just testified under oath for five hours about Jeffrey Epstein. And at the end he said this: “Bernie Madoff is a boy scout compared to Jeffrey.”
Bernie Madoff ran the largest financial fraud in American history. $65 billion. Wexner just said Epstein was worse. But Epstein was never charged with financial crimes.
Wexner says Epstein stole at least $100 million from him alone. Possibly hundreds of millions more. And Wexner added: “Bank robbers don’t rob one bank. There’s more there.”
Wexner is implying there are other financial victims. Whether you think Wexner is complicit or a victim, it begs the question: how did Epstein accumulate his wealth? Given his pattern of criminal behavior, why wouldn’t financial crimes be part of the picture? If they did it once, they’ve done it before.
Before Epstein’s death, he sat down for a two-hour, unaired interview with Steve Bannon, reportedly filmed as part of a planned documentary to rehabilitate his public image.
In the interview, Epstein explained that most world leaders are financially illiterate and that they depend on people like him to manage their money. It’s hard to hear that and not think that maybe business leaders are like this, too.
Then Bannon says: “You earned your money advising the worst people in the world, right?” Epstein dosen’t deny it.
And this wasn’t new behavior with Wexner. It’s known that Epstein got his first major break helping extremely wealthy Spanish families recover money after a $160 million securities fraud collapse. Several of those investors had violated their own countries’ laws on foreign investments.
And we now know he was doing the same thing with Russia. While managing the finances of one of America’s richest men, Epstein was simultaneously advising sanctioned Russian officials on how to circumvent Western sanctions.
The financial crimes investigation into Epstein has barely begun. And that is just one thread.
One moment from Wexner’s testimony that makes you really wonder. Wexner looked directly at the congressional committee and said “I hope you guys are really good.” He believes the full scope of Epstein’s criminal network is a sprawling beast that is going to be tough to topple.