How a British whistleblower exposed the Commerce Secretary’s secret business ties with Jeffrey Epstein

In 2025, Howard Lutnick was appointed US Commerce Secretary. A former managing director from Wall Street discovered that Lutnick had an undisclosed business relationship with financier Jeffrey Epstein, using the massive file dump released by the US government.

Simon Andriesz, who once led a Wall Street brokerage firm that later became part of Cantor Fitzgerald, found an email chain from 2018 where Lutnick and Epstein discussed a joint start‑up called Adfin. He brought these findings to the House Oversight Committee before Lutnick’s scheduled testimony in May.

Lutnick has denied any wrongdoing, asserting the partnership was unknown to him until this year. The US Commerce Department calls the allegations a desperate partisan distraction and states there is no evidence of misconduct.

Uncovering a hidden partnership

Andriesz’s search into the 3.5 million pages required looking for Lutnick’s initials, “HWL.” He found correspondence where Epstein asked about the prospects of Adfin, and Lutnick replied about revenue expectations. The disclosure was shared with U.S. lawmakers who demanded transparency.

Connections to royalty and the royal family

Documentation in the file dump also highlighted links between Lutnick’s firm and Prince Andrew and his former wife, Sarah Ferguson. In 2013, Cantor Fitzgerald had a plan to “buy a prince,” a £1 million loan to Andrew’s firm to bind new business exclusively to the firm’s capital.

Aftermath and continuing scrutiny

After Lutnick was named commerce secretary, a photo on Little St James Island revealed him alongside Epstein, contradicting his earlier claims of single, brief acquaintance. The controversy has put a spotlight on government appointments and possible conflicts of interest.

Andriesz now lives in Cornwall, facing personal, professional and health challenges. He has received a $420,000 whistleblower award but says U.K. and U.S. authorities have not adequately protected him or held his former employer accountable.

In response, the White House insisted Lutnick remains the most consequential commerce secretary, while the Commerce Department brushed aside the allegations as part of a hidden agenda.

These revelations keep the nation debating how well our political system safeguards against the influence of powerful financial figures and the integrity of public office appointments.