by WorldTribune Staff / 247 Real News October 4, 2026
The British whistleblower who exposed longtime Cantor Fitzgerald CEO and current U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein has died, reportedly of suicide.
Simon Andriesz, left, and Howard Lutnick
Simon Andriesz, a former British banker, outed Lutnick as having visited Epstein’s private island in 2012. Lutnick had previously said he ended all contact with Epstein in 2005.
Andriesz was previously a managing director at Wall Street firm BGC Group where Lutnick was chief executive officer, The Banker reported on Oct. 2.
The death of the 57-year-old was confirmed by Andy Agathangelou, the founder of campaign group Transparency Task Force, which has previously hosted events related to whistleblowing with Andriesz, the report said.
“It is with great sadness that we share the news that Simon Andriesz, a valued member of our community, passed away last week,” Agathangelou said.
In February, Lutnick confirmed he had visited Epstein’s island in 2012, contradicting previous statements that he had ended ties with the sex offender years earlier.
Speaking before the Senate Appropriations Committee, he said: “I did have lunch with him as I was on a boat going across on a family vacation. My wife was with me, as were my four children and nannies . . . We had lunch on the island. That is true. For an hour.”
Andriesz had told the BBC how he came upon evidence indicating that Lutnick failed to disclose a business relationship with Epstein, telling the broadcaster that he had discovered an email chain from 2018 in which Lutnick and Epstein had discussed the prospects of a start-up business they were both involved in, the report said.
Shortly after the BBC episode aired, “Andriesz spoke at a Transparency Task Force event about what he said was the UK regulator’s mistreatment of whistleblowers, describing the personal cost of coming forward to his career, his health and his family,” The Banker report said.
Andriesz spent over 35 years working in financial markets.
Lutnick has previously said on the matter: “I unequivocally condemn the conduct attributed to Jeffrey Epstein and everyone who participated in his illegal activities. The survivors of his crimes deserve our respect and support.”
