A British banking whistleblower who helped uncover previously undisclosed ties between Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has died at 57, The Banker reports.
Simon Andriesz, a veteran of the financial industry who previously served as a managing director at BGC Group, emerged as a key figure in scrutinizing Lutnick’s past contacts with Epstein after digging through the massive trove of documents released in connection with the disgraced financier.
Andriesz’s death was confirmed by Andy Agathangelou, founder of the Transparency Task Force, where Andriesz had previously spoken about his experiences as a whistleblower.
“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 a statement obtained by The Banker, which reports that he died by suicide.
Andriesz made headlines after uncovering documents that raised fresh questions about Lutnick’s past relationship with Epstein.
Among the records was a 2018 email exchange in which Lutnick and Epstein discussed a startup in which both men had an interest, according to the BBC.
The revelation drew particular attention because Lutnick had previously portrayed his relationship with Epstein as having ended years earlier.
Andriesz brought his findings to members of the House Oversight Committee before Lutnick appeared before lawmakers in May, putting the veteran banker at the center of renewed scrutiny surrounding the Epstein files.
