qwant news | Jeffrey Epstein’s ties to Les Wexner spur Jewish alums of his foundation to launch survivor fund

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More than 100 alumni of the Wexner Foundation – a fellowship program for mid‑career Jewish leaders founded by retail billionaire Leslie Wexner – have created the Ashru Fund to support survivors of sexual abuse and exploitation after revelations of Wexner’s past financial ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The alumni, including Rachel Faulkner, a senior director at the National Council of Jewish Women, and rabbis Josh Feigelson and Danya Ruttenberg, aim to raise $100,000 for two nonprofits, World Without Exploitation and the National Survivor Network, and have already collected more than $46,000. Their effort follows a lawsuit alleging Wexner gave Epstein millions, a townhouse and a plane that were used for trafficking, and Wexner’s own congressional testimony that he was “conned” by Epstein. Many former fellows are now removing references to the Wexner fellowships from their resumes, viewing the association as a liability, while hoping the foundation will someday contribute to reparations for Epstein’s victims.

Read more: https://religionnews.com/2026/04/28/jeffrey-epstein-ties-to-les-wexner-spur-jewish-alums-of-his-foundation-to-launch-survivor-fund/

#JeffreyEpstein #LesWexner #AshruFund #LeslieWexner #RachelFaulkner #JoshFeigelson #DanyaRuttenberg

The New Republic | Comer Exposed for Plan to Effectively Kill Epstein Investigation by Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling

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Democrats on the House Oversight Committee have accused Rep. James Comer of replacing formal, oath‑bound hearings in the Epstein investigation with informal “roundtables” that lack subpoena power and rules, effectively neutering the probe; at the same time, President Donald Trump’s assertions that his administration has “obliterated” Iran’s navy, air force and missile capabilities are challenged by U.S. officials who say the majority of Iran’s naval fleet, two‑thirds of its air force, and a large portion of its missile stockpile remain operational; Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. defended the FDA’s refusal to approve a promising melanoma drug, a decision that oncologists argue is unjustified and endangers patients; and Republican leaders are facing backlash after Virginia voters approved a redistricting map that could give Democrats several additional House seats, prompting Trump to claim voter fraud and criticize the referendum’s wording.

Read more: https://newrepublic.com/post/209400/james-comer-plan-kill-epstein-investigation

#JamesComer #LeonBlack #DonaldTrump #HouseOversight #LesWexner #PrinceAndrew

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qwant news | Universities pressured to strip names of Epstein...

Universities across the United States are facing mounting pressure to remove the names of donors linked to the late sex‑offender Jeffrey Epstein from campus buildings. At Ohio State University, students, former athletes and union nurses have staged repeated protests demanding the removal of Les Wexner’s name from the medical center, the football complex and the arts space that bear his family’s imprint. Similar campaigns have emerged at Harvard’s Kennedy School, where activists want the Leslie H. Wexner Building and the Wexner‑Sunshine Lobby renamed, and at other schools—Haverford, Tufts, UCLA, Stony Brook and others—targeting facilities named for Steve Tisch, Howard Lutnick, Glenn Dubin and additional Epstein associates.

The requests are moving through institutional review processes that vary in transparency and speed. Ohio State’s new president, Ravi Bellamkonda, says the university will give each petition “full consideration,” while Harvard acknowledged receipt of the Wexner removal request but declined further comment. At Harvard, a broader naming‑rights audit follows a recent decision to keep the Sackler name after extensive debate, illustrating how donor legacies are being re‑examined in light of ethical concerns. Many of the implicated donors—Wexner, the Tisch family, the Lutnicks, the Dubins—have contributed tens or hundreds of millions to their respective schools, funding medical centers, athletic facilities and arts venues.

Critics argue that universities are prioritizing financial support over moral responsibility, while advocates see the renamings as a necessary reckoning with a “quid pro quo” culture that can legitimize predatory behavior. Survivors, students and faculty stress the emotional harm of walking under a name tied to Epstein’s exploitation, and they call for transparent gift‑acceptance standards that can evolve as new information emerges. The debate reflects a broader societal shift, with younger generations showing little tolerance for affiliations with individuals deemed “not the best of humanity,” and it signals that campuses may continue to reassess donor recognitions as public scrutiny intensifies.

Read more: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-15701137/Universities-pressured-strip-names-Epstein-associates-campus-buildings.html

#jeffreyepstein #ohiostateuniversity #leswexner #harvardkennedyschool

yahoo news | Epstein accusers sue Wexner, claiming funding enabled sex trafficking

Accusers of the late sex‑offender Jeffrey Epstein have filed a civil suit in New York State Supreme Court alleging that Ohio retail magnate Les Wexner and his foundation helped finance Epstein’s criminal enterprise. The complaint, filed on March 30, asserts that Wexner and the Wexner Foundation provided Epstein with “$200 million or more” over roughly two decades, enabling him to build a sophisticated sex‑trafficking network that victimized the plaintiffs. It further claims that Wexner transferred his Manhattan townhouse at 9 E. 71st St. to Epstein, facilitating the abuse of the women named in the lawsuit around 2000‑2001.

Wexner’s representatives have called the allegations “untrue.” A spokesperson said Epstein was compensated only for wealth‑management services and that Wexner had no knowledge of Epstein’s wrongdoing. Records show Wexner sold the Manhattan townhouse to Epstein for $20 million in November 1998, a transaction that predates the alleged abuse. The spokesperson added that the lawsuit “fails to state any factual basis” and that the claims will be “vigorously defended.” In a February 2026 deposition, Wexner told members of the U.S. House Oversight Committee that he had been conned by Epstein, who he accused of stealing hundreds of millions of dollars from him.

Congressional investigators have scrutinized Wexner’s relationship with Epstein amid the Justice Department’s release of related records. Rep. Robert Garcia (D‑CA) remarked that Epstein “would not be the man that he was without Les Wexner,” echoing the plaintiffs’ contention that Wexner’s money was essential to Epstein’s crimes. Although DOJ documents have at times listed Wexner as a potential co‑conspirator, a 2019 statement from an Assistant U.S. Attorney clarified that Wexner was “neither a co‑conspirator nor a target” and that he had fully cooperated by providing background information on Epstein. The lawsuit therefore centers on whether Wexner’s financial support constituted enabling and conspiracy in Epstein’s sex‑trafficking operation.

Read more: https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/epstein-accusers-sue-wexner-claiming-184004940.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall

#jeffreyepstein #leswexner #newyorkstatesupremecourt #u.s.houseoversightcommittee #justicedepartment