Apr 6, 2022 - News

Ohio's richest man still in Top 500 worldwide

Ohio entrepreneur Leslie Wexner speaking at microphone.

Leslie Wexner, the former L Brands chairman and CEO, speaks in 2017. Photo: Fred Squillante/Columbus Dispatch/USA Today Network

The richest person in Ohio saw his wealth drop by $300 million last year, but that's no big deal to New Albany's Leslie Wexner.

Show me the money: The 84-year-old retired entrepreneur has a net worth of $5.8 billion, per Forbes' latest tally of the wealthiest people across the globe.

  • That makes Wexner the 438th richest person on Earth.

Amazing stat: If you spread out his wealth evenly to every seat in Ohio Stadium, each would have $55,268 — greater than the median annual household income in Columbus.

State of play: Wexner founded a retail empire that included stores like Bath & Body Works and Victoria's Secret and has since donated much of his fortune to local arts and medical research causes.

  • He stepped down as CEO in 2020 and left the company's board in 2021 amid controversy over his past connections with Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted child sex trafficker who once served as Wexner's financial adviser.
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