Alleged extortion scheme involving billionaire Leslie Wexner and sexual‑misconduct claims

James PATTERSON Fri paying a large sum of money. And that I was named as an | the evening news, and th effort to try to show the billionaire what could happen to 4 communication with ABC somebody if they were accused of sexual misconduct. And they would be putting fal that would encourage him to settle a lawsuit or pay money in | allowed [REDACTED] t exchange for his name not being mentioned or revealed. | F E to corroborate that. I then had no idea about this. And I didn’t—I didn't ask about this. : E had never mentioned me She just stated this. And I then corroborated the fact that she : television and publicly sta was absolutely correct in everything she had said to me. i me in any of her descriptio Q: You corroborated the fact that she was absolutely correct in ; i contact with. So I was then everything that she had said to you? a: was telling me the complete A: That's right. : q was an extortion plot direct Q: How? re nal extortion plot directed A: Okay. Let me answer that question. I was very—I wasn't sure, your clients were involved i 50 I called Leslie Wexner. I got his wife on the phone, Abigail Wexner. Obviously I knew that the only billionaire in Colum- bus, Ohio, who owned Limited Too and who owned Victoria's 3 © 1130a.m. Secret was Leslie Wexner. I had met Leslie Wexner on two E. 4 occasions, I think, and his wife. I called Abigail on the phone i 3 Q: Let’s see if we can make su and I said, “I think you ought to know that there is an extor ¥ 4 another, sir. Do you recos tion plot being directed against your husband by unscrupu- 4 4 between [REDACTED] ha lous lawyers in—in Florida” And she said, “Oh, we're aware a : ally abused by you on multi of that; they’ve already been in contact with us,” which sur- j : name you as opposed to Vil prised me. But [her statement] was confirmation of that. 1 . 4 you and never having been then also—I can’t give you the chronology of that. I then was ~ 3 those two things different in in touch with ABC and found out she was absolutely correct 4 _ A: Not in the context of this cas about her efforts to try to get interviewed on ABC television. — q that she was going to seek j In fact, I learned that your client, Brad Edwards, had sent 4 3 __ abused her. And if she didn’ communication to people in the area urging them to watch q ' inference is inescapable that her interview that was scheduled to be on three television” ' that she had had any sexual tainly the inference I drew... programs. If I'm not mistaken, it was [the] Good Day Show, 262 HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_022159