A British former trader, Simon Andriesz, has revealed he unearthed evidence that former Cantor Fitzgerald executive Howard Lutnick failed to disclose a business relationship with convicted sex‑trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. The files – released by the US government – contained an email chain from 2018 in which Lutnick and Epstein discussed the prospects of a start‑up venture in which they were both invested.
Andriesz, who had served as managing director at a Wall Street firm, found the exchange after searching the 3 million‑page archive for references to Lutnick’s initials, “HWL.” The emails confirm that Epstein directly requested Lutnick’s opinion on the potential of the digital‑ads company Adfin, and Lutnick’s reply praised the venture’s upcoming revenue.
He forwarded the chain to the House Oversight Committee before Lt. Lutnick’s May hearing. In the briefing, Lutnick insisted he was unaware of Epstein’s involvement until the previous year, a claim Democrats on the committee contested, arguing he should resign. The US Commerce Department called the allegations “a desperate partisan distraction.”
Beyond the emails, the files show a 2012 photo of Lutnick with Epstein on Little St. James, the financier’s private Caribbean island, contradicting Lutnick’s claim that their only encounter was a brief neighbourly meeting 20 years earlier. They also reveal that Lutnick’s firm had planned a 2013 deal to “buy a prince,” with £1 million loaned to Andrew Mountbatten‑Windsor, a former prince, to secure exclusive business links with Cantor Fitzgerald.
The Association to the King‑Prince was reportedly contentious, with Epstein warning the prince’s business aide about the exclusivity clause. The proposal ultimately failed, and the prince never pursued the agreement, but the correspondence underscores a broader network of influence involving royalty and finance.
Andriesz, now in Cornwall, says he has faced retaliation from BGC Partners and Cantor Fitzgerald, despite receiving a $420,000 whistleblower award from the US regulator. The firms deny any misconduct; BGC argues that the allegations were unsubstantiated by authorities in the US and UK.
Lutnick’s appointment as US Commerce Secretary in 2025, after selling his shares and handing control of Cantor to his sons, fueled fresh scrutiny. His office rejected the allegations, citing no evidence of wrongdoing, while Democrats demanded his resignation, citing a “historic work of the administration.”
