Whistleblower Simon Andriesz, Who Exposed Ties Between Howard Lutnick and Jeffrey Epstein, Found Dead

<figure><img alt="howard lutnick" src="https://thedailybeast-thedailybeast-prod.web.arc-cdn.net/resizer/v2/WS6YMRJTAFGD7GE5IM3JNTQSWU.png?auth=f35df5706d86c8e3ad01bb4221787a651073c4382192136dd56d429bf3f37669&amp;smart=true&amp;width=3000&amp;height=1680" /><figcaption>Evelyn Hockstein/Corbis via Reuters</figcaption></figure><p>Simon Andriesz, a British former Wall Street banker who alerted Congress to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s connections to Jeffrey Epstein, has died by suicide at the age of 57, according to a report by <a href="https://www.thebanker.com/content/02286d53-0338-42ef-996d-5f7712b9f133" rel="" target="_self" title="https://www.thebanker.com/content/02286d53-0338-42ef-996d-5f7712b9f133">The Banker</a>.</p><p>Andriesz was residing in Cornwall, England, as of July and exposed Lutnick’s relationship with Epstein earlier this year by sharing a 2018 email chain with lawmakers from the House Oversight Committee. The email chain revealed discussions between Lutnick and Epstein regarding Adfin, a digital advertising company in which they both invested.</p><img alt="An undated photo of Jeffrey Epstein and Howard Lutnick (in blue shirt) on Epstein's island in the Caribbean. / DOJ" height="4440" src="https://thedailybeast-thedailybeast-prod.web.arc-cdn.net/resizer/v2/OANTY2N3Y5EYZAMV2UMWPJUA3M.jpg?auth=cc7fb442d9dd454156a4b6957e332f51ae65743f3b4f23e62f60b99c5d62e702&amp;smart=true&amp;width=5950&amp;height=4440" width="5950" /><p>Andriesz discovered the email chain while searching through the Justice Department’s release of Epstein files for Lutnick’s initials, “HWL,” based on his experience at BGC Partners, where Lutnick was CEO. The email chain contradicted Lutnick’s previous claims regarding his relationship with Epstein. Lutnick had stated in a podcast last year that he first met Epstein in 2005 and severed contact after feeling uncomfortable during a visit to Epstein’s Manhattan townhome.</p><p>However, the email chain indicated that Lutnick and Epstein maintained a friendly relationship until at least 2018, a decade after Epstein pleaded guilty to soliciting prostitution from a minor in 2008, and a year before Epstein's death in jail while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.</p><img alt="Years before alerting Congress to Lutnick’s correspondence with Epstein, Andriesz alleged that Lutnick had undeclared business ties to Epstein in interviews with the FBI, according to the BBC. The FBI did not investigate the accusations. / Justice Department" height="1264" src="https://thedailybeast-thedailybeast-prod.web.arc-cdn.net/resizer/v2/I7HTCIISRNCMVFPTANMF3MASCQ.png?auth=30ed1d7dc48e0e83b4e234bd990dac47e423d4b5296aede6c338841394eb2197&amp;smart=true&amp;width=948&amp;height=1264" width="948" /><p>Lutnick testified before the Senate Appropriations Committee in February that he and his family visited Epstein’s island in 2012, stating, “I don’t recall why we did it.” During a May hearing, Lutnick claimed he only learned of Epstein's investment in Adfin when the Epstein files were released this year.</p><p>Andriesz, who was terminated from BGC after raising concerns about accounting irregularities, had previously reported Lutnick’s ties to Epstein before alerting Congress. He spoke with the FBI in 2020 and 2021 regarding his allegations about Lutnick, who was CEO of BGC until last year, and claimed Lutnick had undeclared business ties to Epstein. The FBI did not investigate these allegations.</p><p>Andriesz’s death was confirmed to The Banker by Andy Agathangelou, founder of the Transparency Task BGForce, a group advocating for greater transparency in finance that had previously hosted Andriesz at whistleblowing events. Agathangelou expressed sadness over Andriesz's passing.</p><p>The Commerce Department and the FBI did not immediately respond to requests for comment.</p><p></p><p><a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/whistleblower-simon-andriesz-who-exposed-howard-lutnicks-ties-to-jeffrey-epstein-found-dead/">Read more at The Daily Beast.</a></p>