Ohio Republican Senator Jon Husted has accepted $116,892 from Les Wexner between 2001 and 2025, according to Federal Election Commission and Ohio Secretary of State campaign finance records reviewed by TiffinOhio.net.

Wexner, the billionaire founder of Victoria’s Secret parent company L Brands, was publicly identified this week as a “co-conspirator” of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in FBI documents.

Husted took $3,500 from Wexner as recently as July 3, 2025 — just two months before voting on September 10, 2025 to block a bipartisan Senate amendment that would have directed the Attorney General to publicly release documents related to Epstein.

The financial relationship spans Husted’s entire political career, from his time in the Ohio legislature through his current role as U.S. Senator. Campaign finance records show Husted is the only senator up for re-election in 2026 who accepted contributions from Wexner during the 2025-2026 election cycle.

FBI labeled Wexner as Epstein co-conspirator

On February 10, 2026, the Department of Justice released previously redacted names from internal FBI documents following pressure from Representatives Ro Khanna (D-California) and Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky). An August 15, 2019 FBI internal document from the bureau’s Criminal Investigative Division included a reference to Wexner as a co-conspirator of Epstein.

“The Justice Department has released the names of three people the FBI once called co-conspirators of Jeffrey Epstein after lawmakers complained that the names had been improperly withheld,” NBC News reported February 10, 2026. “The Justice Department unredacted parts of an Aug. 15, 2019, FBI internal document from the bureau’s Criminal Investigative Division — which included a reference to billionaire Les Wexner as a co-conspirator.”

The document lists eight people as co-conspirators, including Wexner, Ghislaine Maxwell (who was convicted of sex trafficking charges), modeling agent Jean-Luc Brunel, and Epstein’s longtime secretary Lesley Groff. Four other names remain redacted.

According to the released documents, a separate FBI email from August 2019 stated there was “limited evidence” regarding Wexner’s involvement, though he was served a subpoena during the investigation.

A legal representative for Wexner stated that “the Assistant U.S. Attorney told Mr. Wexner’s legal counsel in 2019 that Mr. Wexner was neither a co-conspirator nor target in any respect. Mr. Wexner cooperated fully by providing background information on Epstein and was never contacted again.”

Decades-long financial relationship

Wexner served as Epstein’s primary financial adviser and benefactor from the 1980s through 2007, according to court documents and news reports. The New York Times reported in August 2019 that “for over 15 years, Jeffrey Epstein served as a close personal adviser to Leslie H. Wexner.”

Wexner granted Epstein power of attorney in 1991, giving the convicted sex offender sweeping control over his finances and property. According to documents released in December 2025, Epstein paid Wexner $100 million in 2008 as part of a private settlement after Wexner accused him of misappropriating funds.

Epstein was arrested in July 2019 and charged with sex trafficking of minors and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of minors. According to a July 8, 2019 press release from the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, “between 2002 through 2005, Epstein sexually exploited and abused dozens of underage girls by enticing them to engage in sex acts with him in exchange for money.”

Following Epstein’s 2019 arrest, extensive public reporting documented Wexner’s ties to the sex offender. NBC 4 reported on July 26, 2019 that “Epstein’s Connection To Les Wexner Under Close Scrutiny.” On September 24, 2019, NBC 4 reported that “Wexner Could Be Called As Witness In Epstein-Related Defamation Suit.”

Despite this public reporting, Husted continued accepting contributions from Wexner. Between Epstein’s July 2019 arrest and Husted’s September 2025 vote against releasing the files, Wexner contributed $45,892 to Husted’s campaigns and joint committees with Governor Mike DeWine.

Senate vote blocked transparency

On September 10, 2025, Husted voted for a motion to table Senate Amendment 3849, sponsored by Senator Chuck Schumer, which would have directed the Attorney General to make publicly available documents related to Jeffrey Epstein. The motion to table — which effectively killed the amendment — passed 51-49 along largely party lines, with Husted voting with the majority.

Only two Republicans voted against the motion to table: Senators Josh Hawley (Missouri) and Rand Paul (Kentucky).

The amendment was proposed as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026. According to Senate records, the “Statement of Purpose” for the amendment was “To direct the Attorney General to make publicly available documents related to Jeffrey Epstein.”

Pattern of contributions

Campaign finance records show Husted received contributions from Wexner at 21 different points between July 20, 2001 and July 3, 2025:

  • 2025: $3,500 (July 3, to Husted for Senate)
  • 2023: $15,400 (June 30, to Jon Husted for Ohio)
  • 2022: $13,700 (August 29, to Mike DeWine for Ohio)
  • 2020: $13,292 (October 13, to Mike DeWine for Ohio)
  • 2018: $10,000 (December 13, to DeWine-Husted Transition Fund)
  • 2015: $10,000 (November 17, to Jon Husted for Ohio)
  • 2014: $10,000 total in two contributions (October 3 and June 30, to Jon Husted for Ohio)
  • 2013: $2,500 (August 7, to Jon Husted for Ohio)
  • 2011: $2,500 (November 16, to Jon Husted for Ohio)
  • 2010: $7,500 total in two contributions (October 29 and June 2, to Jon Husted for Ohio)
  • 2009: $5,000 (July 31, to Jon Husted for Ohio)
  • 2008: $3,000 (July 1, to Jon Husted for Ohio)
  • 2007: $5,000 (July 3, to Jon Husted for Ohio)
  • 2006: $5,000 (September 27, to Jon Husted for Ohio)
  • 2005: $2,500 (June 27, to Jon Husted for Ohio)
  • 2004: $2,500 (November 10, to Jon Husted for Ohio)
  • 2003: $2,500 (September 18, to Jon Husted for Ohio)
  • 2002: $2,000 (August 30, to Jon Husted for Ohio)
  • 2001: $1,000 (July 20, to Jon Husted for Ohio)

The contributions were made to three different committees: Jon Husted for Ohio (his Ohio campaign committee before Senate appointment), Husted for Senate (his current Senate campaign committee), Mike DeWine for Ohio (the gubernatorial committee Husted joined in November 2017 as DeWine’s running mate), and the DeWine-Husted Transition Fund (which raised money for inauguration and transition costs in 2018 and 2022).

According to FEC records, Husted was the only senator up for re-election in 2026 who accepted money from Wexner during the 2025-2026 cycle.

Husted avoided questions about Epstein files

When confronted by reporters in September 2025 about the Epstein files, Husted declined to engage with the topic. According to The Bulwark, when a journalist presented materials related to Trump and Epstein to Husted on September 9, 2025, Husted said while “staring at the ceiling”: “I’ve got four minutes before I have to be in the chair [to preside over the Senate]. So I gotta run.”

The incident occurred one day before Husted’s vote to block the release of Epstein-related documents.

In November 2025, Husted characterized the Epstein files as primarily a Democratic issue. “The more we learn about the transparency of the Epstein files, the more it shows that Democrats are the ones that had the strong relationships with them,” Husted said on Fox Business’ “The Evening Edit” on November 19, 2025.

When asked about Trump not commenting on the Epstein files, Husted suggested on NewsNation November 13, 2025 that the president was focused on other priorities: “I think he’s been focused on trying to get the government reopened and trade deals and all of the things that will help make Americans’ lives better. This has been an ongoing story. I’m sure he’ll address it when the time is needed.”

Husted is scheduled to face voters in Ohio’s 2026 Senate election. He was appointed to the Senate in January 2025 to fill a vacancy and is running to complete the term through November 2026.