British Whistleblower Who Linked Trump Official to Epstein Found Dead
Simon Andriesz, who alleged a business relationship between Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Jeffrey Epstein, has died at age 57.
British banker Simon Andriesz has died at the age of 57, five months after making allegations about a business relationship between U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Andriesz, a former managing director at Wall Street firm BGC Group where Lutnick served as chief executive, claimed to have uncovered emails from 2018 suggesting Lutnick and Epstein were discussing a startup business. Epstein died in prison in 2019, a year after these alleged communications and a decade after his 2008 conviction for child prostitution offenses.
Andriesz shared his findings, drawn from the Epstein files, with members of the U.S. House Oversight Committee prior to Lutnick's appearance before them in May. Lutnick has stated that he only learned of Epstein's involvement as an investor in the firm this year, and the U.S. Commerce Department has maintained that there is no evidence of wrongdoing.
Beyond the Epstein connection, Andriesz also revealed to the BBC that a firm associated with Lutnick had, in 2013, explored a business venture with Prince Andrew, the former Duke of York. Andriesz alleged this plan involved a £1 million loan to commercially leverage the Prince's contacts. Lutnick was acquainted with Prince Andrew's ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, and attended Princess Eugenie's wedding in 2018, but the proposed deal did not materialize.
Following the publication of these revelations, Andriesz spoke at an event hosted by the Transparency Task Force (TTF), detailing the personal toll his whistleblowing had taken on his career, health, and family. Andriesz had been living in Cornwall.
His tenure at BGC Group ended in 2017 when he was dismissed. The firm has previously stated that Andriesz's allegations were "categorically false" and unsubstantiated by investigations in multiple jurisdictions, asserting he was fired for refusing medical advice, failing to perform essential duties, rejecting accommodations, and abandoning his role.
Andy Agathangelou, founder of the TTF, confirmed Andriesz's death last month and described him as a whistleblower who "stood up for what was right" and a "valued member of our community." Paul Callin, a TTF community member and financial services expert, stated that Andriesz "bravely fought alone for several years" and felt let down by those he trusted.
Lutnick has previously stated he met Epstein three times and unequivocally condemned Epstein's conduct. A White House statement in July reportedly dismissed a BBC report about Lutnick as a "pathetic and desperate attempt to slander Secretary Lutnick." Donald Trump, who also associated with Epstein in the past, has denied knowledge of his sex offenses.