Howard Lutnick and Jeffrey Epstein corresponded by way of intermediaries a number of occasions in 2011 and 2012 – years after Lutnick had vowed to by no means be in the identical room with Epstein once more, documents launched by the Department of Justice on Friday present.
The documents reveal a deeper relationship between Lutnick and Epstein than had beforehand been recognized. Lutnick, the previous chairman of Cantor Fitzgerald and present Commerce Secretary, was a onetime neighbor of Epstein in New York.
But he mentioned in an interview last year that after a 2005 encounter at Epstein’s house, he grew uncomfortable and vowed that he “will never be in the room with that disgusting person ever again.”
“So I was never in the room with him socially, for business — or even philanthropy,” he mentioned in the October interview. “That guy was there, I wasn’t going, ‘cause he’s gross.”
The documents launched Friday undercut that declare and reveal Lutnick sought to fulfill with or name Epstein a number of occasions since 2005, together with after Epstein pleaded responsible to procuring a minor for prostitution in 2008.
Asked for remark, a Commerce Department spokesperson mentioned: “Secretary Lutnick had limited interactions with Mr. Epstein in the presence of his wife and has never been accused of wrongdoing.”
A 2011 email to Epstein from Epstein’s assistant mentioned: “Howard Lutnick returned your call.” Another email to Epstein from his assistant reads: “Howard Lutnick will come see you at 5 p.m.” That similar yr, the heading of an alarm message reads: “Drinks w/Howard Lutnick”
The subsequent yr, each Lutnick’s spouse and assistant communicated with an Epstein assistant to arrange a go to and lunch on one of Epstein’s Caribbean islands, emails present.
“Jeffrey Epstein understands you will be down in St. Thomas some over the holidays,” Epstein’s assistant wrote in a November 20, 2012, email to Lutnick. “Jeffrey requested I please pass along some phone numbers to you so the two of you can possibly get together.”
The subsequent month, Lutnick’s spouse, Allison, said in an email that was forwarded to Epstein: “We are looking forward to visiting you,” including the Lutnicks have been half of a big group that included one other household.
“We are heading towards you from St. Thomas,” Allison Lutnick wrote. “Where should we anchor exactly?” Representatives for Epstein requested what sort of boat the Lutnicks could be arriving on so they might correctly coordinate.
“188 foot yacht,” Allison Lutnick responded.