Simon Andriesz, Whistleblower Who Drew Scrutiny to Lutnick, Dies

Andy Agathangelou, founder of the Transparency Task Force, confirmed that former British banker Simon Andriesz had died, saying he passed away the previous week. Reports about the cause conflict: The Banker reported suicide, while another account said no official cause had been released. The material provided does not establish an official determination. Andriesz, 57, had drawn attention to a 2018 email exchange in which Howard Lutnick and Jeffrey Epstein discussed a startup in which both had an interest, according to BBC reporting. The correspondence renewed scrutiny of Lutnick’s past contacts with Epstein. The full scope of the business relationship is not established in the reports. Lutnick, now U.S. commerce secretary, previously said he had visited Epstein’s island in 2012. In testimony to a Senate committee, he said he had lunch there for an hour while on a family vacation, accompanied by family members and nannies. That account concerns the island visit and does not, by itself, establish the extent of his business dealings with Epstein.