U.S. Commerce Secretary’s Connections with Jeffrey Epstein Revealed in Documents

In a recent development, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s interactions with Jeffrey Epstein have come under scrutiny due to newly released documents indicating a business relationship. Despite Secretary Lutnick’s claim of having “limited interactions” with Epstein, the documents reveal that the two were involved in business together as recently as 2014.

The documents show that on December 28, 2012, both Lutnick and Epstein signed on behalf of limited liability companies to acquire stakes in a now-defunct advertising technology company named Adfin. Lutnick signed for a company called CVAFH I, while Epstein signed for his Southern Trust Company, Inc. The contract containing their signatures was part of the so-called Epstein files released to the public. The list included nine shareholders in total, representing diverse business interests.

Howard Lutnick, the former chairman of Cantor Fitzgerald, had reportedly cut ties with Epstein in 2005 after a visit to Epstein’s New York townhouse. He expressed his disapproval, stating, “I will never be in the room with that disgusting person ever again.” However, documents suggest that despite his strong feelings, Lutnick and Epstein maintained sporadic contact.

Email exchanges between the two show that in 2011, they arranged calls and met for drinks. In 2012, it was planned for Lutnick and his family to visit Epstein’s island, Little St. James. Emails even have records of Epstein inviting Lutnick to lunch on December 24, 2012, followed by a note from Epstein’s assistant, expressing pleasure at seeing him.

Lutnick, through a source close to him, stated that Cantor Fitzgerald was a small minority investor in Adfin and that he was unaware of the identities of other investors due to his minority stake at the time of the deal. An email from January 8, 2013, reveals that Epstein’s assistant forwarded Lutnick casino legislation documents related to the U.S. Virgin Islands. A spokesperson claimed that Lutnick “ignored the document sent to him.”

The Commerce Department issued a statement downplaying the connections, describing the media focus as an attempt to distract from administrative accomplishments. The statement emphasized that Lutnick had “limited interactions” with Epstein, always in the company of his wife, and had never been accused of any wrongdoing.

Correspondence regarding the Adfin investment continued until at least 2014. It included a communication from shareholder David Mitchell to Epstein concerning further fundraising with Cantor Ventures, a venture capital division of Cantor Fitzgerald. Lutnick has been with Cantor Fitzgerald since 1991, rising to the position of chairman in 1996.

Epstein’s relationship with Lutnick predated these business dealings; in 1996, Epstein sold a property at 11 East 71st St. in New York, which later became Lutnick’s primary residence. Notably, Epstein agreed to a guilty plea in 2008 to charges in Florida involving child procurement and prostitution but only faced federal charges related to sex trafficking in 2019. Epstein died in jail shortly after those federal charges were filed.

The release of the Epstein files has compelled many high-profile associates of Epstein to reevaluate and clarify their connections with him. An email from 2017 shows Epstein acknowledging the potential public relations impact of their association when he offered to donate $50,000 to a dinner honoring Lutnick. Epstein even suggested that Lutnick fill the seats reserved for donors. The relationship continued into 2018, evidenced by emails in which Lutnick seemed to be addressing Epstein about potential issues arising from a local museum’s renovation plans.

The documents underscore the complexity and breadth of Epstein’s network, raising questions about the true extent of relationships maintained by Lutnick and others who were once close to Epstein.