WASHINGTON — The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform voted Wednesday to authorize a Les Wexner subpoena and to compel testimony from two executors of Jeffrey Epstein’s estate, expanding a congressional probe into the late financier’s circle, Jan. 7, 2026.
Lawmakers say the move is meant to map how Epstein accumulated and moved money and who may have enabled his abuse, as the Justice Department continues releasing and reviewing troves of records tied to the case.
Les Wexner subpoena adds pressure on key figures around Epstein
The committee action targets retail billionaire Les Wexner and the estate’s co-executors, Darren Indyke and Richard Kahn, according to a statement from Rep. Robert Garcia, the panel’s ranking Democrat, and news reports describing the vote. Garcia called the Les Wexner subpoena a step toward “follow[ing] the money” and “deliver[ing] justice for the survivors.”
Wexner, the former chief executive of L Brands, has not been accused of criminal wrongdoing. A representative said he would cooperate with any government inquiry, and multiple reports note Wexner has long said he cut ties with Epstein years before Epstein’s 2019 death in federal custody.
Coverage of the Oversight vote highlighted that the panel is also pursuing information from the people who managed Epstein’s legal and financial affairs after his arrest. The committee has not publicly released a detailed timetable for depositions.
What the Les Wexner subpoena seeks — and why it matters now
Supporters of the Les Wexner subpoena argue Congress is acting in a moment when federal disclosures are surfacing new leads. The Justice Department recently published additional material under a transparency mandate and has said it still has millions of pages left to review, with victim-privacy redactions shaping what can be made public.
Those disclosures have renewed questions about who investigators tried to contact in 2019 and what financial conduits sustained Epstein’s operations. Bloomberg reported that an email released last month described Wexner as one of 10 “co-conspirators,” while emphasizing he was not charged.
For readers tracking the story, here are the latest accounts from Reuters’ report on the committee’s move, Garcia’s Oversight statement announcing the subpoenas, ABC News’ overview of the latest DOJ Epstein files release, Bloomberg’s write-up of the House vote and local reporting from WSYX in Ohio.
Continuity: how the Les Wexner subpoena connects to years of reporting
The Les Wexner subpoena lands after years of public scrutiny over the men’s past business relationship and Epstein’s access to Wexner’s wealth and philanthropy. In an August 2019 message published by his foundation, Wexner wrote that he was “sickened” by revelations about Epstein and said he never would have imagined the harm Epstein caused. (Wexner has not been charged.)
Earlier reporting also detailed the extent of Epstein’s authority. A 2019 article recapping a New York Times report said Wexner gave Epstein power of attorney that allowed wide control over financial decisions for years.
And in 2020, ABC News reported that Wexner referenced recovering money after Epstein’s arrest, while declining to describe the full scope of the relationship in public accounts. Those earlier disclosures help explain why lawmakers now say they want sworn testimony and documents tied to the network’s finances.
As the investigation unfolds, the committee’s next steps — including scheduling depositions and deciding what can be released publicly without compromising victim privacy — will determine whether the Les Wexner subpoena produces new accountability or simply restates what is already known.
