Leaked Epstein Email Chain Raises New Questions About Trump Official's Claims

An explosive new BBC report said that a 2018 email chain was discovered by a British whistleblower showing President Donald Trump acolyte and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick discussing a start-up business directly with Jeffrey Epstein, directly undermining Lutnick's claims regarding the timeline of their relationship.

These documents contradict testimonies provided by Lutnick to the House Oversight Committee, fueling ongoing bipartisan scrutiny and calls for his resignation.

Simon Andriesz, a former managing director at one of Lutnick's Wall Street firms, discovered the email chain while reviewing millions of newly unsealed Epstein case files.

The 2018 messages show Lutnick and Epstein actively discussing the financial prospects of an advertising technology start-up company called AdFin, in which they were both mutually involved.

Lutnick previously testified to the House Oversight Committee in May that, to the best of his knowledge, he had only learned in 2026 that Epstein was an investor in that firm. The 2018 chain heavily challenges that timeline.

In the chain, the BBC reported that, "Epstein had talked directly to Lutnick about a digital advertising company called Adfin, in which he and Lutnick's firm, Cantor Fitzgerald, had both invested."

Epstein then asked Lutnick, referred to as "HWL," "what do you think the prospects for adfin are?" to which Lutnick replied: "Producing revenue finally. This is their year. Next 12 months they need to become economically self-sufficient."

In addition to the email chain, Andriesz uncovered 2013 files showing that one of Lutnick’s firms planned to commercially exploit the contacts of former Prince Andrew through a proposed more than $1 million loan, described by Andriesz as an attempt to "basically buy a prince.”

According to the BBC report, Andriesz “discovered that one of Lutnick's firms had made plans in 2013 to go into business with another figure linked to Epstein, the then-Prince Andrew, by commercially exploiting the contacts the former UK trade envoy had made."

The Department of Commerce stated, on Lutnick's behalf, that there is no evidence of wrongdoing in the communications uncovered.

This latest revelation follows months of public scrutiny for the billionaire Commerce Secretary, who previously had to walk back claims that he completely cut ties with Epstein in 2005 after DOJ files exposed a 2012 family lunch on Epstein's private Caribbean island.

Outgoing Republican Thomas Massie of Kentucky was among the earliest and most notable officials to call for Lutnick's resignation, citing documents indicating that Lutnick maintained business dealings with Epstein years after his 2008 conviction.

Following a closed-door meeting with the House Oversight Committee in mid-May, Ranking Member Robert Garcia and a coalition of Oversight Democrats also demanded Lutnick's resignation, alleging he used his testimony to perpetuate a false narrative and evade responsibility regarding his relationship with Epstein.

"Prince [Andrew] lost his title for less than what we've seen Howard Lutnick lie about," Massie said.

"Lutnick's lies about his business dealings with a convicted child s-- offender raise serious concerns about his judgment and ethics," added California Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff.