NEW ALBANY, Ohio — Two federal lawsuits filed by survivors of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein against Ohio billionaire Les Wexner and The Wexner Foundation have been combined into a single legal case.
A federal judge in New York ruled that the lawsuits involve similar allegations and should move forward together in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
The lawsuits accuse Wexner, The Wexner Foundation and Nine East 71st Street Corporation of providing Epstein with the financial resources, property and influence that plaintiffs claim enabled his decades-long sex trafficking operation.
Court filings allege Epstein relied on Wexner’s wealth, business relationship and access to properties to facilitate the abuse of numerous victims.
One of the primary allegations centers on a Manhattan mansion formerly owned by Wexner. Plaintiffs claim they were sexually abused by Epstein at the property between 2000 and 2016.
Wexner’s legal team disputes those claims, arguing he sold both the property and the corporation that owned it to an Epstein-controlled company in 1998—before the alleged abuse outlined in the lawsuits occurred. Attorneys also state Wexner stopped regularly using the residence years before its sale and maintained Ohio as his primary residence.
The lawsuits further allege Epstein received significant financial support during his years of association with Wexner. Congressional investigators have previously reported that Epstein gained access to hundreds of millions of dollars through his business relationship with the retail executive.
Wexner has repeatedly denied any knowledge of Epstein’s criminal conduct and has never been charged with any crime related to Epstein’s activities.
In a statement filed with the court, Wexner’s representatives said they have sympathy for Epstein’s victims but maintain there is no factual basis supporting the claims against him. His attorneys have asked the court to dismiss the case.
The combined lawsuit now includes claims from 13 Epstein survivors. Attorneys for both sides are scheduled to participate in a court conference on Aug. 6 as the case moves forward.
