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10 - PEOPLE/(H-M)/Christopher Mellon.md
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@ -33,8 +33,13 @@ relations:
start: 2022-09-23
end: 2023-09-15
role: "'Cristopher Mellon' of Laughlintown, Pennsylvania, one of three initial directors of the Alabama corporation The Sol Foundation (AL SOS 001-041-463) on the Certificate of Formation of September 23, 2022, and 'Christopher Mellon' on the Statement of Intent to Dissolve of September 15, 2023; the filings state no occupation"
fn: 25
updated: 2026-10-03
fn: 28
- type: participant_in
with: "[[Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies]]"
start: 2023-06-26
role: "subject of the video 'Chris Mellon on SCU's Anomalous Aerospace Phenomena Conference (AAPC),' published by the coalition on June 26, 2023"
fn: 19
updated: 2026-10-04
created: 2026-10-03
---
[[Christopher Mellon]] is a former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and a key strategist in the modern [[Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena]] (UAP) disclosure movement. Coming from a prominent American family (great-grandson of the [[Gulf Oil]] founder and a descendant of Judge [[Thomas Mellon]]; see [[Mellon Family]]),[^1] he has leveraged his extensive experience in intelligence and national security to bring the UAP issue to the forefront of the U.S. Congress and the public.[^2]
@ -51,7 +56,7 @@ Mellon was profoundly disturbed by these revelations, viewing the government's f
### The Legislative Strategy for Disclosure
Following Elizondo's resignation, Mellon became the primary architect of a multi-pronged strategy to force the UAP issue into the open. Recognizing that direct confrontation with the Pentagon was futile, he devised a plan to leverage Congress and the media. He facilitated the transfer of Navy videos later known as "FLIR" (Tic Tac), "[[GIMBAL]]," and "[[GoFast]]" to journalists. The landmark front-page [[New York Times]] story of December 2017, which broke the news of AATIP's existence, carried two of them (FLIR1 and GIMBAL); GOFAST followed in March 2018.[^2][^4] Politico reported in 2021 that the [[Washington Headquarters Services]] declassification division approved the videos "for unlimited distribution" inside the government.[^5] The Office of the Secretary of Defense file released to [[The Black Vault]] under the Freedom of Information Act in August 2019 contains an August 23, 2017 email in which [[Luis Elizondo]] asked Michael Russo of the Defense Office of Prepublication and Security Review to "consider our request for unrestricted release"; an August 24, 2017 reply from Russo that if the service-level classification authority verified that removing the metadata made the videos unclassified, "please feel free to move forward with release"; and a DD Form 1910 whose publication-data block reads "Not Applicable. Not for publication. Research and analysis ONLY and info sharing with other USG and industry partners for the purposes of developing a database to help identify, analyze and ultimately defeat UAS threats." Joseph Gradisher, a Navy spokesman, said in 2019 that neither the cognizant Navy offices nor the review office had a record of correspondence responding to a request for unrestricted release of the videos in 2017.[^6] The [[Department of Defense]] stated on April 27, 2020 that it had authorized the release of three unclassified Navy videos, which had been circulating in the public domain after "unauthorized releases in 2007 and 2017."[^7] Mellon's own account, in the 2020 film *[[The Phenomenon (2020 film)|The Phenomenon]]*, is that he received the videos "in the Pentagon parking lot from a Defense Department official" and "still [has] the packaging."[^8] See [[December 2017 New York Times AATIP Report]].
Following Elizondo's resignation, Mellon became the primary architect of a multi-pronged strategy to force the UAP issue into the open. Recognizing that direct confrontation with the Pentagon was futile, he devised a plan to leverage Congress and the media. He facilitated the transfer of Navy videos later known as "FLIR" (Tic Tac), "[[GIMBAL]]," and "[[GoFast]]" to journalists. The landmark front-page [[New York Times]] story of December 2017, which broke the news of AATIP's existence, carried two of them (FLIR1 and GIMBAL); GOFAST followed in March 2018.[^2][^4] Politico reported in 2021 that the [[Washington Headquarters Services]] declassification division approved the videos "for unlimited distribution" inside the government.[^5] The Office of the Secretary of Defense file released to [[The Black Vault]] under the Freedom of Information Act in August 2019 contains an August 23, 2017 email in which Luis Elizondo asked Michael Russo of the Defense Office of Prepublication and Security Review to "consider our request for unrestricted release"; an August 24, 2017 reply from Russo that if the service-level classification authority verified that removing the metadata made the videos unclassified, "please feel free to move forward with release"; and a DD Form 1910 whose publication-data block reads "Not Applicable. Not for publication. Research and analysis ONLY and info sharing with other USG and industry partners for the purposes of developing a database to help identify, analyze and ultimately defeat UAS threats." Joseph Gradisher, a Navy spokesman, said in 2019 that neither the cognizant Navy offices nor the review office had a record of correspondence responding to a request for unrestricted release of the videos in 2017.[^6] The [[Department of Defense]] stated on April 27, 2020 that it had authorized the release of three unclassified Navy videos, which had been circulating in the public domain after "unauthorized releases in 2007 and 2017."[^7] Mellon's own account, in the 2020 film *[[The Phenomenon (2020 film)|The Phenomenon]]*, is that he received the videos "in the Pentagon parking lot from a Defense Department official" and "still [has] the packaging."[^8] See [[December 2017 New York Times AATIP Report]].
Mellon then focused on a legislative approach, using his deep knowledge of Capitol Hill to engage with key staffers on the Senate Intelligence and Armed Services Committees. He and Elizondo worked to educate lawmakers and arrange for them to be briefed directly by credible military eyewitnesses like Commander [[Dave Fravor]] and Lieutenant [[Alex Dietrich]]. Mellon's key strategic insight was to draft specific legislative language that would compel the [[Director of National Intelligence]] to produce an unclassified report on UAP. This language, which he championed through op-eds and private meetings, was eventually included in the committee report accompanying the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, signed into law in December 2020. This led to the landmark June 2021 "Preliminary Assessment: Unidentified Aerial Phenomena."[^2]
@ -71,37 +76,39 @@ The Regulation A offering circular of To The Stars Academy of Arts & Science fil
Mellon was among the speakers at the first [[Sol Foundation]] symposium, November 17 to 18, 2023 in [[Palo Alto, California]], listed in [[The Debrief]]'s account as "former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Intelligence Christopher Mellon," beside [[Avi Loeb]], [[Jacques Vallee]], [[Diana Walsh Pasulka]], [[Tim Gallaudet]] and [[Karl Nell]].[^15] He signed the November 12, 2024 letter to Congress urging enactment of the review-board provisions of the [[Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Disclosure Act]] as "Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Intelligence; Former Staff Director, Department of Defense; Senate Select Committee on Intelligence," the signers including [[Garry Nolan]], [[Peter Skafish]] and Luis Elizondo; the letter states that signers joined as individuals and not for their organizations.[^16] The Sol Foundation's website, read October 3, 2026, does not list Mellon among its executive leadership or advisory board, and neither does its 2024 Form 990.[^17]
The Sol Foundation's page for its first symposium, as archived in 2023, lists among its confirmed speakers "Christopher Mellon, Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Staff Director of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence," and gives the organizers as Garry Nolan, "Sol Foundation Chairman of the Board," and Peter Skafish, "Sol Foundation Director."[^18] On June 26, 2023 the [[Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies]] published a video titled "Chris Mellon on SCU's Anomalous Aerospace Phenomena Conference (AAPC)," whose description reads in part: "Chris spent nearly 20 years in the U.S. Intelligence Community, including serving as the Minority Staff Director of the Senate Intelligence Committee and the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Intelligence under Presidents Clinton and Bush."[^19] The coalition's 2022 conference in [[Huntsville]], Alabama, at which Garry Nolan sat on a June 4 panel, is described on Sol Foundation.[^20]
### Family
*Roll Call* described him in 2003 as "yes, of that Mellon family," 45 years old, "whose great-grandfather started the Gulf Oil Co.," and noted that Rockefeller was "the great-grandson of the man who founded [[Standard Oil]]," under the line "[[Rockefeller family|the Rockefellers]] and Mellons are taking over the Senate Select Intelligence Committee." Bryan Bender of Politico wrote in 2021 that he is "a scion of the [[Pennsylvania]] oil and banking family." Other bearers of the surname include Paul Mellon, a major in the [[Office of Strategic Services]] in Europe, his sister [[Ailsa Mellon Bruce]] and her husband the diplomat [[David K. E. Bruce]], and the publisher and donor Richard Mellon Scaife, who funded the [[Arkansas Project]] against Bill Clinton and sat on the [[Heritage Foundation]] board. No source opened states how these persons are related to Christopher Mellon or that he had dealings with them.[^1][^18]
*Roll Call* described him in 2003 as "yes, of that Mellon family," 45 years old, "whose great-grandfather started the Gulf Oil Co.," and noted that Rockefeller was "the great-grandson of the man who founded [[Standard Oil]]," under the line "[[Rockefeller family|the Rockefellers]] and Mellons are taking over the Senate Select Intelligence Committee." Bryan Bender of Politico wrote in 2021 that he is "a scion of the [[Pennsylvania]] oil and banking family." Other bearers of the surname include Paul Mellon, a major in the [[Office of Strategic Services]] in Europe, his sister [[Ailsa Mellon Bruce]] and her husband the diplomat [[David K. E. Bruce]], and the publisher and donor Richard Mellon Scaife, who funded the [[Arkansas Project]] against Bill Clinton and sat on the [[Heritage Foundation]] board. No source opened states how these persons are related to Christopher Mellon or that he had dealings with them.[^1][^21]
### The placement of the December 2017 article
Per Bender (2021): in 2016 [[Tom DeLonge]] "called me up out of the blue," Mellon said, "and then through him I met Jim and Hal"; Mellon, who kept his clearance, then met Luis Elizondo at a Pentagon briefing; by fall 2017 Mellon "was also a paid adviser to DeLonge's TTSA" and acted as Elizondo's "unofficial public relations manager," who "started dangling the story to the New York Times, POLITICO and several other mainstream outlets." According to Leslie Kean's account to [[Gideon Lewis-Kraus]], on October 4, 2017 Mellon had her called to a hotel bar near the Pentagon where [[Hal Puthoff]], Jim Semivan and Elizondo briefed her; the Times placement followed. Details and denials are on December 2017 New York Times AATIP Report.[^5][^19]
Per Bender (2021): in 2016 [[Tom DeLonge]] "called me up out of the blue," Mellon said, "and then through him I met Jim and Hal"; Mellon, who kept his clearance, then met Luis Elizondo at a Pentagon briefing; by fall 2017 Mellon "was also a paid adviser to DeLonge's TTSA" and acted as Elizondo's "unofficial public relations manager," who "started dangling the story to the New York Times, POLITICO and several other mainstream outlets." According to Leslie Kean's account to [[Gideon Lewis-Kraus]], on October 4, 2017 Mellon had her called to a hotel bar near the Pentagon where [[Hal Puthoff]], Jim Semivan and Elizondo briefed her; the Times placement followed. Details and denials are on December 2017 New York Times AATIP Report.[^5][^22]
### Money and affiliations as recorded
TTSA: paid adviser (Bender); listed as "National Security Affairs Advisor" ([[Keith Kloor|Kloor]], 2019); the company's annual report for 2020 states he resigned from the advisory board in November 2020 (vault page for To The Stars Academy of Arts & Science).[^5][^20] The offering circular dated September 29, 2017 lists "Chris Mellon" first among six Advisory Board members and states that in June 2017 the company granted "employees and advisors" 9,000,000 options and 2,500,000 restricted shares under its stock incentive plan; the text read does not itemize grants by person. No source opened shows a payment from Mellon to TTSA, or the amount he was paid as an adviser.[^3]
TTSA: paid adviser (Bender); listed as "National Security Affairs Advisor" ([[Keith Kloor|Kloor]], 2019); the company's annual report for 2020 states he resigned from the advisory board in November 2020 (vault page for To The Stars Academy of Arts & Science).[^5][^23] The offering circular dated September 29, 2017 lists "Chris Mellon" first among six Advisory Board members and states that in June 2017 the company granted "employees and advisors" 9,000,000 options and 2,500,000 restricted shares under its stock incentive plan; the text read does not itemize grants by person. No source opened shows a payment from Mellon to TTSA, or the amount he was paid as an adviser.[^3]
[[Galileo Project]]: research affiliate from October 30, 2021, with Elizondo ([[Harvard University|Harvard]] release). On April 26, 2024 the Galileo Project announced a 575,000 dollar grant from the [[Richard King Mellon Foundation]] for a third observatory station in [[Allegheny County, Pennsylvania|Allegheny]] or [[Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania|Westmoreland County]], Pennsylvania, stating that Mellon "was instrumental in stewarding this grant."[^21][^22]
[[Galileo Project]]: research affiliate from October 30, 2021, with Elizondo ([[Harvard University|Harvard]] release). On April 26, 2024 the Galileo Project announced a 575,000 dollar grant from the [[Richard King Mellon Foundation]] for a third observatory station in [[Allegheny County, Pennsylvania|Allegheny]] or [[Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania|Westmoreland County]], Pennsylvania, stating that Mellon "was instrumental in stewarding this grant."[^24][^25]
The Richard King Mellon Foundation's Form 990-PF for 2024 (EIN 25-1127705), Part XV, lists a grant paid during the year of $575,000 to Harvard University, Boston, with the purpose text "Toward support of Project Argyle." The Foundation's 2024 annual report lists Harvard University, Boston, "Toward support of Project Argyle."[^23]
The Richard King Mellon Foundation's Form 990-PF for 2024 (EIN 25-1127705), Part XV, lists a grant paid during the year of $575,000 to Harvard University, Boston, with the purpose text "Toward support of Project Argyle." The Foundation's 2024 annual report lists Harvard University, Boston, "Toward support of Project Argyle."[^26]
Lobbying and legislation: Lewis-Kraus wrote that the text Marco Rubio added in June 2020 to the 2021 Intelligence Authorization Act, requesting a UAP report from the Director of National Intelligence and the Secretary of Defense, "drew heavily from proposals by Mellon"; Bender wrote that Mellon, "from his perch on the advisory board of DeLonge's company, ... effectively drafted the legislation later adopted by the Senate requesting the UAP report." Mellon's March 9, 2018 *[[Washington Post]]* op-ed was "The military keeps encountering UFOs. Why doesn't the Pentagon care?"[^5][^19][^20]
Lobbying and legislation: Lewis-Kraus wrote that the text Marco Rubio added in June 2020 to the 2021 Intelligence Authorization Act, requesting a UAP report from the Director of National Intelligence and the Secretary of Defense, "drew heavily from proposals by Mellon"; Bender wrote that Mellon, "from his perch on the advisory board of DeLonge's company, ... effectively drafted the legislation later adopted by the Senate requesting the UAP report." Mellon's March 9, 2018 *[[Washington Post]]* op-ed was "The military keeps encountering UFOs. Why doesn't the Pentagon care?"[^5][^22][^23]
### Statements beside denials
Kloor (2019) quoted Mellon on *[[Fox & Friends]]* on [[Fox News]]: "We know that UFOs exist," and wrote that Mellon did not respond to a request for comment on whether he and Elizondo do contract work for a U.S. agency; Elizondo told Kloor he was a government contractor "but it's not what you think it is." Mellon told Kloor by email in late 2018: "I did not claim the objects were alien... Merely real, intelligently controlled and not ours."[^20][^24]
Kloor (2019) quoted Mellon on *[[Fox & Friends]]* on [[Fox News]]: "We know that UFOs exist," and wrote that Mellon did not respond to a request for comment on whether he and Elizondo do contract work for a U.S. agency; Elizondo told Kloor he was a government contractor "but it's not what you think it is." Mellon told Kloor by email in late 2018: "I did not claim the objects were alien... Merely real, intelligently controlled and not ours."[^23][^27]
### The Alabama directorship
The [[Alabama Secretary of State]] record for The Sol Foundation (entity 001-041-463) names "Cristopher Mellon" of Laughlintown, [[Pennsylvania]] as one of three initial directors on the Certificate of Formation filed September 23, 2022, with [[Garry Nolan]] and [[Saul Mercado]]. The Statement of Intent to Dissolve filed September 15, 2023 lists the directors as Nolan, "Christopher Mellon" (spelled with an h) and Mercado. The corporation's registered agent and office were those of [[Ignite Fueling Innovation]] in [[Huntsville]]. The same filing lists Nolan as president, Mercado as secretary and [[Peter Skafish]] as treasurer; Mellon holds no office on it. A board consent to dissolve was executed on August 31, 2023, and the Articles of Dissolution, filed September 15, 2023, state that no plan of distribution was adopted. The filings state no occupation or prior office for any director, and none states that the director is the former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense. Laughlintown is also the locality given for "Mellon, Christopher" in the FEC entries below. The California corporation is described on [[Sol Foundation]].[^25]
The [[Alabama Secretary of State]] record for The Sol Foundation (entity 001-041-463) names "Cristopher Mellon" of Laughlintown, Pennsylvania as one of three initial directors on the Certificate of Formation filed September 23, 2022, with Garry Nolan and [[Saul Mercado]]. The Statement of Intent to Dissolve filed September 15, 2023 lists the directors as Nolan, "Christopher Mellon" (spelled with an h) and Mercado. The corporation's registered agent and office were those of [[Ignite Fueling Innovation]] in Huntsville. The same filing lists Nolan as president, Mercado as secretary and Peter Skafish as treasurer; Mellon holds no office on it. A board consent to dissolve was executed on August 31, 2023, and the Articles of Dissolution, filed September 15, 2023, state that no plan of distribution was adopted. The filings state no occupation or prior office for any director, and none states that the director is the former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense. Laughlintown is also the locality given for "Mellon, Christopher" in the FEC entries below. The California corporation is described on Sol Foundation.[^28]
### Federal Election Commission records
[[Federal Election Commission|FEC]] itemized receipts list a "Mellon, Christopher" of [[Laughlintown]], Pennsylvania (employer "[[Mellon Consulting]]" from 2008 to 2009, "[[A&E Networks]]" in 2020) with contributions to [[John Murtha|Murtha for Congress]] (seven entries, March 3, 2008 to December 9, 2009, 500 to 2,000 dollars each), 5,000 dollars to the [[Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee]] (June 23, 2008) and 2,400 dollars to [[Chuck Schumer|Friends of Schumer]] (July 16, 2010), and, on August 25 and 27, 2020, 2,800 dollars to [[Joe Biden|Biden for President]], 35,000 dollars to the [[Biden Victory Fund]] and 32,200 dollars to the [[Democratic National Committee]]. Other "Mellon, Christopher" donors in [[Greenfield Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania|Greenfield Township]], Pennsylvania and [[Conklin, New York|Conklin]], New York list [[Maines Paper & Food Service]] as employer. No record read states which of these entries belong to the former Pentagon official.[^26]
[[Federal Election Commission|FEC]] itemized receipts list a "Mellon, Christopher" of [[Laughlintown]], Pennsylvania (employer "[[Mellon Consulting]]" from 2008 to 2009, "[[A&E Networks]]" in 2020) with contributions to [[John Murtha|Murtha for Congress]] (seven entries, March 3, 2008 to December 9, 2009, 500 to 2,000 dollars each), 5,000 dollars to the [[Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee]] (June 23, 2008) and 2,400 dollars to [[Chuck Schumer|Friends of Schumer]] (July 16, 2010), and, on August 25 and 27, 2020, 2,800 dollars to [[Joe Biden|Biden for President]], 35,000 dollars to the [[Biden Victory Fund]] and 32,200 dollars to the [[Democratic National Committee]]. Other "Mellon, Christopher" donors in [[Greenfield Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania|Greenfield Township]], Pennsylvania and [[Conklin, New York|Conklin]], New York list [[Maines Paper & Food Service]] as employer. No record read states which of these entries belong to the former Pentagon official.[^29]
The same query returns further occupation and employer entries. The entries to Murtha for Congress and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee give "President" of "Mellon Consulting." Two entries read "Christopher K. Mellon": April 5, 2008, "Executive," "[[Powercast]]," 1,000 dollars to [[Citizens for Altmire]]; and March 3, 2009, "Consultant," "[[Mellon Strategic Consulting, LLC]]," 500 dollars to Citizens for Altmire. Three entries under "Mr. Christopher Mellon," "Consultant," "Self-Employed," are to [[Tim Murphy for Congress]]: 250 dollars on August 12, 2008, 500 dollars on September 24, 2008 and 250 dollars on April 8, 2009. On March 8, 2015 an entry with occupation "Investor," employer "Self," gives 2,600 dollars to [[Webb 2016]], and on March 16, 2015 the same occupation gives 5,000 dollars to [[Born Fighting PAC]]. The five entries of August 25 and 27, 2020, to Biden for President, the Biden Victory Fund and the Democratic National Committee, give occupation "Producer/Subject Matter Expert" and employer "A&E Networks."[^27]
The same query returns further occupation and employer entries. The entries to Murtha for Congress and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee give "President" of "Mellon Consulting." Two entries read "Christopher K. Mellon": April 5, 2008, "Executive," "[[Powercast]]," 1,000 dollars to [[Citizens for Altmire]]; and March 3, 2009, "Consultant," "[[Mellon Strategic Consulting, LLC]]," 500 dollars to Citizens for Altmire. Three entries under "Mr. Christopher Mellon," "Consultant," "Self-Employed," are to [[Tim Murphy for Congress]]: 250 dollars on August 12, 2008, 500 dollars on September 24, 2008 and 250 dollars on April 8, 2009. On March 8, 2015 an entry with occupation "Investor," employer "Self," gives 2,600 dollars to [[Webb 2016]], and on March 16, 2015 the same occupation gives 5,000 dollars to [[Born Fighting PAC]]. The five entries of August 25 and 27, 2020, to Biden for President, the Biden Victory Fund and the Democratic National Committee, give occupation "Producer/Subject Matter Expert" and employer "A&E Networks."[^30]
### Footnotes
@ -122,13 +129,16 @@ The same query returns further occupation and employer entries. The entries to M
[^15]: Micah Hanks, "The Sol Foundation, Academia's New UAP Think Tank, Releases Videos of Lectures from Its Inaugural Symposium," *The Debrief*, February 12, 2024. https://thedebrief.org/the-sol-foundation-academias-new-uap-think-tank-releases-videos-of-lectures-from-its-inaugural-symposium/
[^16]: Statement of Tim Gallaudet with signatory letter dated November 12, 2024, House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, hearing of November 13, 2024. https://docs.house.gov/meetings/GO/GO12/20241113/117721/HHRG-118-GO12-Wstate-GallaudetPhDRearAdmiralUSNavyRetT-20241113-SD001.pdf
[^17]: The Sol Foundation, home page, "People" section, https://thesolfoundation.org/ , read October 3, 2026; IRS Form 990 for 2024, EIN 93-3649160, Part VII, https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/933649160/202543269349300004/full
[^18]: Review of Lankford, *The Last American Aristocrat. Kirkus Reviews,* 1996; National Gallery of Art, 1999 Paul Mellon press release; *Philadelphia Inquirer,* July 5, 2014 (Scaife obituary). See the footnotes of [[Mellon Family]].
[^19]: Lewis-Kraus, Gideon. "How the Pentagon Started Taking U.F.O.s Seriously." *The New Yorker,* May 10, 2021. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/05/10/how-the-pentagon-started-taking-ufos-seriously
[^20]: Kloor, Keith. "The Media Loves This UFO Expert Who Says He Worked for an Obscure Pentagon Program. Did He?" *The Intercept,* June 1, 2019. https://theintercept.com/2019/06/01/ufo-unidentified-history-channel-luis-elizondo-pentagon/
[^21]: "The Galileo Project Welcomes Christopher Mellon and Luis Elizondo as Research Affiliates," October 30, 2021. https://projects.iq.harvard.edu/files/galileo/files/mellon-elizondo_announcement_final_2.pdf (Internet Archive copy).
[^22]: "Richard King Mellon Foundation awards $575,000 to Galileo Project," April 26, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/2024/https://galileo.hsites.harvard.edu/news/richard-king-mellon-foundation-awards-575000-galileo-project
[^23]: IRS Form 990-PF for 2024, Richard King Mellon Foundation, EIN 25-1127705, object ID 202503179349103185, Part XV (grants paid during the year), https://gt990datalake-rawdata.s3.amazonaws.com/EfileData/XmlFiles/202503179349103185_public.xml ; Richard King Mellon Foundation, 2024 Annual Report, "Grant & PRI Recipients," https://www.rkmf.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/2024-Annual-Report.pdf
[^24]: Kloor, Keith. "UFOs Won't Go Away." *Issues in Science and Technology,* March 1, 2019. https://issues.org/ufos-wont-go-away/
[^25]: Alabama Secretary of State, entity 001-041-463, The Sol Foundation: Certificate of Formation (filed September 23, 2022), board consent (August 31, 2023), Statement of Intent to Dissolve and Articles of Dissolution (both filed September 15, 2023); document copies purchased October 3, 2026, and the entity page fetched the same day. https://arc-sos.state.al.us/cgi/corpdetail.mbr/detail?corp=001041463&page=name&file=&type=ALL&status=ALL&place=ALL&city=
[^26]: Federal Election Commission, schedule A receipts, contributor name "MELLON, CHRISTOPHER" (OpenFEC API query run October 3, 2026). https://api.open.fec.gov/v1/schedules/schedule_a/?contributor_name=MELLON%2C%20CHRISTOPHER
[^27]: Federal Election Commission, schedule A receipts, contributor name "MELLON, CHRISTOPHER," city Laughlintown, Pennsylvania, 20 rows (OpenFEC API query rerun October 3, 2026; sub_ids include 4020620091107097394, 4040820091113637717, 4101520081097487423, 4032920161281705749, 4073120151248132201, 4060420221494790667). https://api.open.fec.gov/v1/schedules/schedule_a/?contributor_name=MELLON%2C%20CHRISTOPHER&contributor_city=LAUGHLINTOWN
[^18]: The Sol Foundation, "Nolan Laboratory (Department of Pathology) and the Stanford School of Medicine Present: The Sol Foundation Initiative for UAP Research and Policy," symposium page of November 17 to 18, 2023, Internet Archive copy. https://web.archive.org/web/2023/https://thesolfoundation.org/event/the-inaugural-annual-conference-of-the-sol-foundation/
[^19]: Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies, "Chris Mellon on SCU's Anomalous Aerospace Phenomena Conference (AAPC)," video published June 26, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLAWHErz71M
[^20]: Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies, AAPC 2022 agenda, https://web.archive.org/web/20220524005545id_/https://www.explorescu.org/_files/ugd/8374d8_ff2696792d7d4d23b1354cf52b031941.pdf
[^21]: Review of Lankford, *The Last American Aristocrat. Kirkus Reviews,* 1996; National Gallery of Art, 1999 Paul Mellon press release; *Philadelphia Inquirer,* July 5, 2014 (Scaife obituary). See the footnotes of [[Mellon Family]].
[^22]: Lewis-Kraus, Gideon. "How the Pentagon Started Taking U.F.O.s Seriously." *The New Yorker,* May 10, 2021. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/05/10/how-the-pentagon-started-taking-ufos-seriously
[^23]: Kloor, Keith. "The Media Loves This UFO Expert Who Says He Worked for an Obscure Pentagon Program. Did He?" *The Intercept,* June 1, 2019. https://theintercept.com/2019/06/01/ufo-unidentified-history-channel-luis-elizondo-pentagon/
[^24]: "The Galileo Project Welcomes Christopher Mellon and Luis Elizondo as Research Affiliates," October 30, 2021. https://projects.iq.harvard.edu/files/galileo/files/mellon-elizondo_announcement_final_2.pdf (Internet Archive copy).
[^25]: "Richard King Mellon Foundation awards $575,000 to Galileo Project," April 26, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/2024/https://galileo.hsites.harvard.edu/news/richard-king-mellon-foundation-awards-575000-galileo-project
[^26]: IRS Form 990-PF for 2024, Richard King Mellon Foundation, EIN 25-1127705, object ID 202503179349103185, Part XV (grants paid during the year), https://gt990datalake-rawdata.s3.amazonaws.com/EfileData/XmlFiles/202503179349103185_public.xml ; Richard King Mellon Foundation, 2024 Annual Report, "Grant & PRI Recipients," https://www.rkmf.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/2024-Annual-Report.pdf
[^27]: Kloor, Keith. "UFOs Won't Go Away." *Issues in Science and Technology,* March 1, 2019. https://issues.org/ufos-wont-go-away/
[^28]: Alabama Secretary of State, entity 001-041-463, The Sol Foundation: Certificate of Formation (filed September 23, 2022), board consent (August 31, 2023), Statement of Intent to Dissolve and Articles of Dissolution (both filed September 15, 2023); document copies purchased October 3, 2026, and the entity page fetched the same day. https://arc-sos.state.al.us/cgi/corpdetail.mbr/detail?corp=001041463&page=name&file=&type=ALL&status=ALL&place=ALL&city=
[^29]: Federal Election Commission, schedule A receipts, contributor name "MELLON, CHRISTOPHER" (OpenFEC API query run October 3, 2026). https://api.open.fec.gov/v1/schedules/schedule_a/?contributor_name=MELLON%2C%20CHRISTOPHER
[^30]: Federal Election Commission, schedule A receipts, contributor name "MELLON, CHRISTOPHER," city Laughlintown, Pennsylvania, 20 rows (OpenFEC API query rerun October 3, 2026; sub_ids include 4020620091107097394, 4040820091113637717, 4101520081097487423, 4032920161281705749, 4073120151248132201, 4060420221494790667). https://api.open.fec.gov/v1/schedules/schedule_a/?contributor_name=MELLON%2C%20CHRISTOPHER&contributor_city=LAUGHLINTOWN

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10 - PEOPLE/(H-M)/Howard Lutnick.md
View file

@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ tags:
alias:
- Howard Lutnick
- Howard W. Lutnick
summary: "Howard Lutnick is the Cantor Fitzgerald chairman and U.S. Secretary of Commerce who bought a house Jeffrey Epstein had sold, co-invested with him in 2012, and told the press their contact ended in 2005."
summary: "Howard Lutnick is the Cantor Fitzgerald chairman and U.S. Secretary of Commerce who bought a house Jeffrey Epstein had sold, co-invested with him in Adfin, and told the press their contact ended in 2005."
born: 1961-07-14
location: "New York, New York"
relations:
@ -33,24 +33,57 @@ relations:
fn: 2
- type: partner_of
with: "[[Jeffrey Epstein]]"
role: "co-investors in Adfin through separate LLCs (CVAFH I and Southern Trust Company)"
start: 2012-12-28
end: 2014
fn: 1
role: "co-investors in Adfin through separate LLCs (CVAFH I purchase of July 23, 2013 and Southern Trust Company purchases of April 10 and July 23, 2013; the cap table as of January 4, 2018 lists both Cantor and Southern as holders)"
start: 2013-07-23
fn: 12
- type: subject_of
with: "[[Federal Bureau of Investigation]]"
role: "FD-71A Guardian complaint alleging money laundering, filed under the Epstein case number"
start: 2020-10-14
fn: 6
fn: 40
- type: head_of
with: "[[CVAFH I LLC]]"
role: "named as president in the signature blocks of the July 2013 Adfin Series A counterpart pages (EFTA00289581, EFTA00289634, EFTA00289652, EFTA00289668) and letter agreement (EFTA00289680)"
start: 2013-07-23
fn: 13
- type: head_of
with: "[[BGC Group]]"
role: "chief executive officer, as described by The Banker"
fn: 41
- type: subject_of
with: "[[House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform]]"
role: "transcribed interview of May 6, 2026, including questions on Adfin Solutions"
start: 2026-05-06
fn: 15
- type: honored_by
with: "[[UJA-Federation of New York]]"
start: 2017-12-11
role: 'honoree at the UJA-Federation of New York Wall Street Dinner of December 11, 2017, with Lee Fixel; the invitation to Epstein from John Paulson was titled "UJA Wall Street Dinner honoring Howard Lutnick"'
fn: 32
- type: listed_as_benefit_co_chair_of
with: "[[Dubin Breast Center]]"
role: 'listed as "Allison and Howard Lutnick" under "Benefit Co-Chairs" on invitations to the center's second (December 10, 2012) and third (December 9, 2013) annual benefits, and under "Benefit Committee" on the letter for the December 11, 2017 gala, in messages addressed to Jeffrey Epstein'
start: 2012-12-10
fn: 35
- type: subject_of
with: "[[Federal Bureau of Investigation]]"
role: 'second National Threat Operations Center intake naming him (October 19, 2020, case 50D-NY-3027571) and FD-302 of an interview of February 16, 2021 (serial 593) recording an interviewee's allegations and his statement that he "has never interacted with LUTNICK"; an FBI email of January 30, 2025 states "We did not open an investigation as a result of these allegations"'
start: 2020-10-19
fn: 42
- type: subject_of
with: "[[BBC]]"
start: 2026-07-14
role: "BBC report that one of his firms made plans in 2013 to go into business with the then Prince Andrew, under proposed terms including a GBP 1,000,000 loan to a firm controlled by him"
fn: 31
created: 2026-09-25
updated: 2026-09-25
updated: 2026-10-04
---
Howard Lutnick is an American financier who has led the brokerage and investment bank [[Cantor Fitzgerald]] since 1991 and who became [[United States Department of Commerce|Secretary of Commerce]] in the second administration of [[Donald Trump]] in February 2025.[^1][^2] For more than a decade he lived next door to [[Jeffrey Epstein]] on East 71st Street in [[Manhattan]], in a house that Epstein had sold in 1996 to an entity that resold it to Lutnick two years later. In October 2025 Lutnick said he had cut ties with Epstein in 2005; documents released by the [[Department of Justice|Justice Department]] in early 2026 showed correspondence through 2018, a family visit to [[Little St. James]] in December 2012, and a joint investment in an advertising-technology company signed four days after that visit.[^1][^3]
Howard Lutnick is an American financier who has led the brokerage and investment bank [[Cantor Fitzgerald]] since 1991 and who became [[United States Department of Commerce|Secretary of Commerce]] in the second administration of [[Donald Trump]] in February 2025.[^1][^2] For more than a decade he lived next door to [[Jeffrey Epstein]] on East 71st Street in [[Manhattan]], in a house that Epstein had sold in 1996 to an entity that resold it to Lutnick two years later. In October 2025 Lutnick said he had cut ties with Epstein in 2005; documents released by the [[Department of Justice|Justice Department]] in early 2026 showed correspondence through 2018, a family visit to [[Little St. James]] in December 2012, and a joint investment in an advertising-technology company under a purchase agreement dated five days after that visit.[^1][^3]
### Cantor Fitzgerald and the Commerce Department
Lutnick became president and chief executive of Cantor Fitzgerald in 1991 and chairman in 1996.[^1] The firm's venture arm, Cantor Ventures, is its venture-capital subsidiary.[^1] Trump nominated Lutnick as Secretary of Commerce after the 2024 election, and he took office in February 2025, with responsibility for trade policy, export controls, and the department's technology-standards bodies, including the [[National Institute of Standards and Technology]] and the [[U.S. AI Safety Institute]].[^2]
Lutnick became president and chief executive of Cantor Fitzgerald in 1991 and chairman in 1996.[^1] Prospectuses of Cantor's special-purpose acquisition companies state that he has been its president and chief executive officer since 1992 and chairman since 1996.[^4] The firm's venture arm, Cantor Ventures, is its venture-capital subsidiary.[^1] Trump nominated Lutnick as Secretary of Commerce after the 2024 election, and he took office in February 2025, with responsibility for trade policy, export controls, and the department's technology-standards bodies, including the [[National Institute of Standards and Technology]] and the [[U.S. AI Safety Institute]].[^2]
### The House on East 71st Street
@ -58,37 +91,173 @@ In 1996 Epstein sold the property at 11 East 71st Street to an entity called Com
### The 2005 Account
In October 2025 Lutnick told the [[New York Post]] that he and his wife, Allison, had cut ties with Epstein in 2005 after touring Epstein's townhouse, and said, "I will never be in the room with that disgusting person ever again."[^1]
In October 2025 Lutnick told the [[New York Post]] that he and his wife, [[Allison Lutnick|Allison]], had cut ties with Epstein in 2005 after touring Epstein's townhouse, and said, "I will never be in the room with that disgusting person ever again."[^1]
In the October 2025 interview on "Pod Force One with Miranda Devine," quoted by NBC News on February 10, 2026, Lutnick said, "I was never in the room with him socially, for business, or even philanthropy."[^5]
### The Correspondence After 2005
The released emails show Lutnick and Epstein arranging calls and planning drinks in 2011.[^1] On April 4, 2011, Epstein's assistant [[Lesley Groff]] told him, "Howard Lutnick returned your call." On April 27 she wrote that Lutnick "will come see you at 5pm on Sunday May 1st," and Epstein's calendar for May 1, 2011 reads "5:00 Drinks w/Howard Lutnick."[^4] On November 20, 2012, Groff wrote to Lutnick: "Jeffrey Epstein understands you will be down in [[St. Thomas]] some over the holidays," passing on Epstein's telephone numbers and naming as contacts the staff of his St. Thomas office, "FTC," the [[Financial Trust Company]]. Calendar alerts of December 20 and 21, 2012 read "can Howard Lutnick do lunch Sat or Sun on JE's island?" and "can Howard Lutnick do lunch on Sat. 22nd or Sun. 23rd?"[^5] In December 2012 Lutnick, his wife, and their four children planned a visit to Little St. James, and Lutnick was invited to lunch there on December 24, 2012; afterward Epstein's assistant wrote to Lutnick on Epstein's behalf, "it was nice seeing you."[^1]
The released emails show Lutnick and Epstein arranging calls and planning drinks in 2011.[^1] On April 4, 2011, Epstein's assistant [[Lesley Groff]] told him, "Howard Lutnick returned your call." On April 27 she wrote that Lutnick "will come see you at 5pm on Sunday May 1st," and Epstein's calendar for May 1, 2011 reads "5:00 Drinks w/Howard Lutnick."[^6] On November 20, 2012, Groff wrote to Lutnick: "Jeffrey Epstein understands you will be down in [[St. Thomas]] some over the holidays," passing on Epstein's telephone numbers and naming as contacts the staff of his St. Thomas office, "FTC," the [[Financial Trust Company]]. Calendar alerts of December 20 and 21, 2012 read "can Howard Lutnick do lunch Sat or Sun on JE's island?" and "can Howard Lutnick do lunch on Sat. 22nd or Sun. 23rd?"[^7] In December 2012 Lutnick, his wife, and their four children planned a visit to Little St. James, and Lutnick was invited to lunch there on December 23, 2012;[^8] afterward Epstein's assistant wrote to Lutnick on Epstein's behalf, "it was nice seeing you."[^1]
On December 28, 2012, four days after the lunch, Lutnick and Epstein each signed, on behalf of limited liability companies, a contract to acquire stakes in Adfin, an advertising-technology company since shut down. Epstein signed for [[Southern Trust Company]], Inc., the [[U.S. Virgin Islands]] entity through which he conducted much of his business; Lutnick signed for an LLC named CVAFH I. Their signatures appear on neighboring pages, and the document lists nine shareholders.[^1] A person close to Lutnick told CBS News that "Cantor was a small minority investor in Adfin" and that Lutnick "would not have any knowledge of who the other investors were."[^1] Adfin correspondence continued into 2014, when the shareholder David Mitchell wrote to Epstein about further fundraising involving Cantor Ventures.[^1]
The earliest dated item in the released files that concerns a request to reach Epstein on Lutnick's behalf is an email of Monday, October 19, 2009, 6:50:26 p.m., sent to Epstein under the subject line "HOward Lutnick," with the sender's name redacted. It opens "The following is from" followed by an individual's name, and the quoted message reads: "HOward Lutnick would like to speak to you...one of his employees asked me if Howard could have your number so he may call you. Would you like me to give him your number? They did not give me Howard's number...." The email does not say who the employee was. At the House interview the email was Majority Exhibit 5; the questioner described it as "a message passed along to Mr. Epstein from" the named individual "about you wanting to speak to Mr. Epstein," and Lutnick said of that individual: "He was someone who worked for me at Cantor Fitzgerald. So on my staff." Asked whether he recalled why he would have tried to contact Epstein, he said: "I don't have any recollection," and added: "I shouldn't speculate. I don't know. And I did not speak to him" (pp. 31-32).[^9][^10]
On January 8, 2013, eleven days after the signing, Epstein had his assistant forward Lutnick a document concerning casino legislation in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where Epstein kept his island and a range of business interests. A Lutnick spokesperson said he "ignored the document sent to him."[^1] In 2017 Epstein agreed to give 50,000 dollars to a dinner honoring Lutnick organized in part by the hedge-fund manager [[John Paulson]]; Epstein wrote to Paulson, "hope pr is ok," and declined the table his donation bought, telling Paulson that Lutnick could fill the seats.[^1]
In 2011 the sequence continued past the April 4 entries. On Tuesday, April 5, 2011, at 1:58 p.m., Lesley Groff wrote to Epstein under the subject "reminder Howard Lutnick": "Reminder you want to speak to Howard Lutnick today." On Tuesday, April 26, 2011, at 10:11 a.m., Epstein wrote to Groff: "[...] also on sunday if posible. . try to schedule, also howard lutnik." The next day, April 27, Groff wrote "Howard Lutnick will come see you at 5pm on Sunday May 1st," cited above. On Friday, October 28, 2011, at 2:52 p.m., Groff wrote to Epstein under the subject "Howard Lutnick": "FYI- Howard Lutnick's assistant called asking if you would be available to speak with Howard today..." The documents do not record whether a call took place on October 28.[^11]
In the opening statement of the House Oversight interview of May 6, 2026, Lutnick said: "My second interaction occurred 6 years later, in 2011, when his staff initiated contact with my office, suggesting he had a reason to get in touch with me. Our offices attempted to connect us by phone over the course of several weeks but were unable to do so." He continued that his staff "arranged for me to ring his bell, during my and my wife's typical Sunday walk around the block with our dogs, to hear what he had to say" (pp. 9-10). Asked whether he ever had telephone calls with Epstein, he answered: "I do not recall ever having a phone call with Mr. Epstein" (p. 18). Shown the April 4, 2011 email reading "Howard Lutnick returned your call," he said: "my office must have suggested I call him back to hear what he had to say, and we were unable to connect by phone" (p. 32).[^10]
Adfin was an advertising-technology company since shut down, whose Series A purchase agreement is dated December 28, 2012, five days after the lunch. Epstein signed for [[Southern Trust Company]], Inc., the [[U.S. Virgin Islands]] entity through which he conducted much of his business; Lutnick signed for an LLC named CVAFH I. Their signatures appear on neighboring pages, and the document lists nine shareholders.[^1][^12] A person close to Lutnick told CBS News that "Cantor was a small minority investor in Adfin" and that Lutnick "would not have any knowledge of who the other investors were."[^1] Adfin correspondence continued into 2014, when the shareholder David Mitchell wrote to Epstein about further fundraising involving Cantor Ventures.[^1]
On January 8, 2013, eleven days after the date of the Adfin purchase agreement, Epstein had his assistant forward Lutnick a document concerning casino legislation in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where Epstein kept his island and a range of business interests. A Lutnick spokesperson said he "ignored the document sent to him."[^1]
### Adfin: The July 2013 Documents
The Series A Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement of [[AdFin Solutions]], Inc. is dated December 28, 2012. Its initial closing that day involved two purchasers, David Mitchell and Jonathan Leitersdorf. The Schedule of Purchasers lists Southern Trust Company, Inc. for 1,142,857 shares on April 10, 2013, and, on July 23, 2013, "CVAFH I LLC" for 800,000 shares at $350,000 and Southern Trust Company, Inc. for a further 285,714 shares. The counterpart signature page for Southern Trust Company, Inc. reads "Name: Jeffrey Epstein," "Title: President." The counterpart signature page for CVAFH I LLC reads "Name: Howard W. Lutnick," "Title: President," with a handwritten marginal line, "[Signature Page to $350,000 Series A Preferred Stock Investment in AdFin Solutions, Inc.]." Counterpart pages of the same form for both entities appear in the Investors' Rights Agreement, the Right of Refusal and Co-Sale Agreement and the Voting Agreement, and a July 2013 letter agreement on [[Cantor Ventures]], L.P. letterhead, with a CVAFH I LLC signature block titled "President," states: "Cantor has been formed for the specific purpose of acquiring the Shares and the ultimate holding company of Cantor is Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership."[^13][^14]
At the House Oversight interview of May 6, 2026, a questioner described a stock purchase agreement "that you signed on behalf of CVAFH and Mr. Epstein signed." Lutnick was asked whether he knew Epstein was an investor: "No." He said he learned it "when these documents were released." Lutnick's counsel stated that the documents show that "when Cantor Fitzgerald Venture Capital signed these documents, it was ... much later ... in 2013 in the spring," and Lutnick said: "I don't think I heard about this investment till 2013, May. I think the pitch was made to me in May of 2013, from the document. So it wasn't in December." Asked whether it is common for another investor to hold a signature page from a different investor, he answered: "No. I found it inexplicable and unsettling that he had ... that it was released, that my company's signature page would be in someone else's files."[^15]
### Adfin: The 2012 Email Exchange
On December 19, 2012 at 7:48 p.m. Eastern Time an email from "Lutnick, Howard," subject "Sunday," addressed "Hi Jeff," and carrying a Cantor Fitzgerald disclaimer, was sent: "We are landing in St. Thomas early Saturday afternoon and planning to head over to St. Bart's/Anguilla on Monday at some point. Where are you located (what is exact location for my captain)? Does Sunday evening for dinner sound good? I have another couple ... with me on my boat, and each of us has 4 children." Epstein replied on a copy that Lesley Groff had forwarded to him: "come sat or sunday lunch? little st james on the map, behind christmans cove." On December 21 Groff wrote of "1:30 this sunday for lunch to the island for Howard, wife and all the kids and other famil traveling with them. They are taking their boat to the island and will need to know where to 'park' it."[^16][^8]
On Friday, December 21, 2012 at 9:49 a.m. an email from the address "Lutnick, Allison" to Groff, subject "hi," began: "Hi Lesley. This is Allison Lutnick. We are looking forward to visiting you. We will be coming from [[Caneel Bay]] in the morning." It continued: "[...] We would love to join you for lunch. Please advise on timing and exactly where our boat should go. Would 1 or 1:30pm for lunch work? We are travelling on a yacht called Excellence and I am cc'ing the Captain." Groff's reply began "Hello Allison and thank you so much for getting back to me" and included the words "we will come back to you with answers shortly regarding time and where your boat should go," and the "Lutnick, Allison" address answered at 3:09 p.m. UTC: "ok!"[^17]
On Sunday, December 23, 2012 at 11:16 a.m. the same address wrote: "We are heading towards you from St. Thomas. Where should we anchor exactly? What is your phone number?" Groff replied at 4:43 p.m.: "Great to hear you are headed over. I am actually not on the island. I jut spoke to [redacted] and he and [redacted] will be sending you an email with more instruction. I think they need to know what kind of boat you are on so they can instruct you properly." At 4:45 p.m. the "Lutnick, Allison" address answered: "188 foot yacht."[^18]
At the House interview Lutnick said of the invitation to the island: "his staff inexplicably contacted my office, unprompted, regarding my family's planned holiday travels to the Caribbean," and that "From what I have since learned, it appears he was initially seeking a meeting with just me. My wife made clear, however, that we had a large traveling party of approximately 12-plus people, and if we were to come, it would be with everyone" (p. 10). Asked "Did Mr. Epstein ever invite you to any of his properties?" he answered "No" (p. 19).[^10]
At the House interview Lutnick said that emails addressed "Howard Lutnick" or "Lutnick, Howard" went to a member of his office staff, whom he named: "They did not go to me," and that "You would know if they went to me if they are listed as 'HWL.'" On the November 20, 2012 email from Groff he said: "What I still cannot understand is this November 20, how or why, without any communication for years would he inexplicably know where I'm going. It's unsettling, actually." Asked whether he contacted Epstein about the trip: "I did not in any way contact or have any connection to him." Of the lunch: "It was boring. We left."[^19]
### The Calendar Alert of November 21, 2012
A Google Calendar reminder in Epstein's account, set for Wednesday, November 21, 2012, 4:00 to 4:30 a.m. Eastern Time, reads: "did bobby kotick and howard lutnick get my email yesterday re island #'s?" The email of November 20, 2012 from Lesley Groff to "Lutnick, Howard" (EFTA00401048) is cited above. At the May 6, 2026 House Oversight interview Lutnick said that emails addressed "Howard Lutnick" or "Lutnick, Howard" went to a member of his office staff, "They did not go to me," and "I would never see them" (p. 22), describing that person as "my longtime assistant in my office" who "worked for me for 20 years" (p. 34).[^20][^21]
### The Message of December 24, 2012
On Monday, December 24, 2012, one day after the lunch on Little St. James, Epstein sent a message at 6:17 a.m. Eastern Time under the subject "please forward to howard lutnik": "nice seeing you , read #2 dot three." Groff forwarded it to the Lutnick address under the subject "Jeffrey Epstein with attachment," with an attached file named "TopTenDB.pdf" and the text "Please see below attachment from Jeffrey Epstein." Her message of 7:25 a.m. that morning, to "Lutnick, Howard" and copied to an address for a member of Lutnick's office staff, read: "Good morning Howard. Jeffrey wished me to pass along the below to you: Nice seeing you. Please read f2 dot three." A reply from that staff account read "Thanks!"[^22]
### The Messages of January 2013
On January 8, 2013 Groff wrote to the address "Lutnick, Howard," subject "From Jeffrey Epstein": "Hello Howard. Please see attached from Jeffrey Epstein. Thank you, Lesley," with an attached file named "20130108114617637.pdf." The staff account replied: "Thanks, happy new year!" and Groff answered, "Same to you!" On January 29, 2013 Groff wrote to "Howard Lutnick" under the subject "Fwd: forward to lutcnik": "Hello Howard. Jeffrey requested I send you the below link," followed by an NPR blog item of January 28, 2013 by Jacob Goldstein about [[Antigua and Barbuda|Antigua]].[^23]
At the House interview Lutnick was asked about "a few followups in the DOJ files in the 4 to 5 weeks after your visit to the island" in which "Mr. Epstein's assistant would send your staff various articles, some of them related to gaming legislation in the Virgin Islands or the gaming industry in Antigua," and whether he recalled "receiving any outreach of that nature." He answered "No." Asked whether he recalled "discussing with Mr. Epstein or anyone else topics related to gaming legislation or the gaming industry" during the December 2012 visit, he answered "No," and described the visit as "basically inconsequential, meaning nothing" (pp. 84-85).[^21]
### Adfin: Mitchell, the 2013 Note and the 2016 Proposed Terms
On May 4, 2013 Mitchell wrote to Epstein about the AdFin investment and added, "I think I am seeing H Lutnick later." Asked about this at the House interview, Lutnick said Mitchell "was the husband of one of my wife's friends," that he did not recall knowing Mitchell had any relationship with Epstein, and that "this seems to think that David Mitchell was planning on seeing me, not Mr. Epstein."[^24]
A Note Purchase Agreement of December 26, 2013 sold a $2,000,000 unsecured convertible note to "CVAFH I, LLC," whose signature page bears the handwritten name "Douglas Barnard" and the title "Chief Financial Officer"; a stockholder consent of the same date has signature pages for Southern Trust Company, Inc. and CVAFH I, LLC.[^25] On January 7, 2014 Mitchell told Epstein: "We completed a $2 million convertible placement with Cantor Ventures at the end of the year ... If and when they convert they get a board seat."[^26] A letter of February 16, 2016 from Mitchell to his co-investors reported that the AdFin board had accepted an offer from "its largest shareholder, Cantor Venture," and its Exhibit A, a summary of proposed terms, read: "Board increased to 7 directors. All chosen by Cantor, but each 10% or greater stockholder will have the right to appoint 1 director ... for now only Julserra and the Board must include the CEO ... Howard Lutnick, Jed Kleckner and Henrique de Castro will join the Board." A company investor presentation in the same file carries a slide headed "Backed By Leaders" with the caption "Howard Lutnick, Chairman and CEO, Cantor Fitzgerald" beneath a photograph.[^27]
In 2018 AdFin's chief executive, in an email thread with David Mitchell and Epstein's accountant [[Richard Kahn]], wrote on January 26, "we are trying to get a meeting with Howard next week," and, to Kahn on February 13, "finally met with Howard. All went well, but as always a few followup items I need to work on this week, most importantly finalizing the exact amount of the raise and per share valuation." Epstein told Kahn on February 26, 2018: "you can tell them we are a seller at cost. 875 and we are out." On April 13 the chief executive wrote: "We were trying to get a response from Howard and Jonathan on your ask, but there is apparently no interest at this time on the sale of your interest." The emails give no surname for "Howard." The company's cap table as of January 4, 2018 lists "Cantor" with 60.32 percent and "Southern" with 4.50 percent.[^28]
### Adfin: The May 28, 2018 Email and the House Answers
On May 28, 2018 Epstein wrote to an address labeled "HWL": "on another note what do you think the prospects for adfin are?" The reply read: "Producing revenue finally. This is their year. Next 12 months they need to become economically self sufficient." Epstein followed: "thx. how long until sherry is ready , and i can buy my guest house?" and HWL wrote: "Probably 4 years (pierre)."[^29]
At the House interview Lutnick was asked, "During your visit to the island, did you discuss the company AdFin Solutions with Mr. Epstein?" and answered "No." He answered that the email was his ("This was ... this was me, because it says 'HWL'"); that he was not personally an investor in AdFin ("No") and that Cantor Fitzgerald was ("Yes"), through "Cantor Ventures," "a venture capital arm of Cantor Fitzgerald, so sort of multiple layers down the subsidiary chain"; that he did not remember knowing in 2018 that Epstein was an investor ("I do not remember that I knew that, no"); and that "The 2018 emails that I've seen, that one exchange is the only email exchange that I have learned about in this process." On the "Pierre" line he said Epstein "had made a joke that he would buy my house as his guesthouse." His counsel said: "I do not consider this a business dealing with Mr. Epstein." His opening statement began: "I unequivocally condemn the conduct attributed to Jeffrey Epstein and everyone who participated in his illegal activities."[^15][^29]
### The Duke of York, 2013
On July 10, 2013 [[David Stern (business adviser)|David Stern]], whom the BBC describes as "the prince's business aide," wrote to Epstein: "What is your view on Howard Lutnick ? Just met him with PA." Epstein answered twenty-three minutes later, by the header times: "My neighbor smart." The documents do not say where the meeting took place or expand "PA."[^30]
On August 9, 2013 the forwarded thread "HL Loan - CD/SM call note 8.8.13" carried a solicitor's attendance note headed "Matter HL Asset Management etc," and Epstein wrote to Stern: "no no no no no, howards main businesss is gambing in las vegas. he will have to disclose to the las vegas commsion his arrangeent and you will have holy hell to pay." On September 2, 2013 Stern forwarded Epstein a draft term sheet with the words "See attached term sheet from Howard to PA. I think madness. They are still at it. We kill it ?" The term sheet, dated August 29, 2013 and marked "Preliminary Draft for Discussion Purposes Only," named as partners "Cantor Urramoor Asset Management Holdings, LLC ('Cantor Holdings'), a wholly owned subsidiary of Cantor Fitzgerald," and "[Urramoor], an entity owned by a trust created by Mr. T.," and provided that "the Company would advance the sum of £1,000,000 to Urramoor which would accrue interest at an annual rate of 3.5%." It names no individual at Cantor Fitzgerald. The [[Companies House]] register lists the person with significant control of [[Urramoor Limited]] since April 6, 2016 as "Hrh Andrew Inverness."[^30]
A draft "Agreement for Referrals" of November 2013 between "[[Cantor Opportunities]], LLC" and "Urramoor Limited" has blank signature blocks. On November 16, 2013 Stern asked Epstein, "Have you seen Cantor Fitzgerald proposal?" and Epstein answered "goofy."[^30]
The [[BBC]] reported on July 14, 2026 that advisers to Lutnick and to the former prince, [[Prince Andrew|Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor]], "discussed the deal for four months, from August to November 2013, but it came to nothing." Andrew "did not respond to a request for comment," and Cantor Fitzgerald's response to the BBC is quoted below. The article carries a [[White House]] statement made on Lutnick's behalf: "The BBC's pathetic and desperate attempt to slander Secretary Lutnick will do nothing to change the fact that he has been the most consequential Commerce Secretary in modern history."[^31]
### The UJA-Federation Dinner, 2017
On November 8, 2017 [[John Paulson]] sent an email titled "UJA Wall Street Dinner honoring Howard Lutnick," which Groff forwarded to Epstein: "it is our privilege to be honoring our good friend Howard W. Lutnick, Chairman and CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald L.P. and Lee Fixel, Partner at Tiger Global Management, LLC at this year's UJA-Federation of New York's Wall Street Dinner on December 11th 2017," and "As Chairman of the Wall Street Division, I want to make sure that as a close friend of the Lutnicks, you are aware of the event and have the opportunity to support them."[^32] The email listed journal levels, including "$50,000: Platinum Page (includes 10 seats)." The same day Epstein wrote to Paulson, "50k from me , hope pr is ok," and to his accountant Richard Kahn, "50k." On November 9 Kahn asked, "should we deliver check to WA or someone else such as Paulson, Lutnick etc.. please advise," and Epstein answered "paulson." The same day Epstein's assistant wrote to a UJA-Federation staff member: "Jeffrey Epstein will be contributing to the UJA Wall Street Dinner honoring Howard Lutnick," and Kahn wrote: "check from jeffery will be from his foundation gratitude america in the amount of 50,000." The assistant added that "Jeffrey says you may add him to the roll of honor as Jeffrey Epstein...!" and, of the table, that "Jeffrey says he will not use the table himself and to pass along to Lutnick he can fill them!" The UJA-Federation staff member had written, "Thank you so much for donating the seats back. Would it be alright with Jeffrey if we used the table for young people?"[^33][^34]
On November 14, 2017 a UJA-Federation staff member wrote to Epstein: "many thanks for your incredible donation in honor of Howard Lutnick," asking whether he would "take an ad and offer your own words of congratulations in our commemorative journal," and "Are you able to join us at the event itself on December 11th and would you like to take a table (inclusive of your generosity)?"[^33]
At the House interview Lutnick was asked about the event: "It was a record-setting fundraising event for UJA." Asked "Did you direct Mr. Paulson to invite Jeffrey Epstein?" he answered "No"; asked whether he solicited the donation, "No"; asked whether he thanked Epstein for it, "No"; asked whether he saw or interacted with Epstein at the event, "No" (pp. 70-71). Asked whether in 2017 he would "have characterized Mr. Epstein as a close friend of you or your family," he answered "No" (p. 86). The transcript identifies the exhibit as Bates EFTA 2229721.[^21]
### The Dubin Breast Center Benefit Invitations
On Wednesday, November 14, 2012, at 7:13 p.m. UTC, the [[Dubin Breast Center]] sent Epstein's email account an invitation, under the subject "A special invitation from [[Eva Andersson-Dubin]], MD," to its "Second Annual Benefit" at the [[Mandarin Oriental]] on Monday, December 10, 2012. The block headed "Benefit Co-Chairs" lists twelve entries, among them "Allison and Howard Lutnick," beside "Eva and [[Glenn Dubin]]," "Alexandra and [[Steven A. Cohen|Steven Cohen]]" and "Sonia and [[Paul Tudor Jones]] II."[^35] A forwarded copy of the same invitation carries, above it, a message from Epstein sent at 2:15 p.m. that day: "i took a table so you can all get dressed up." The recipients of that message are not shown in the document. A reply from a redacted sender at 2:27 p.m. reads: "Wow! Thank you snuggliest, looking forward to it!!"[^36]
A second invitation to the center's "Third Annual Benefit," Monday, December 9, 2013, was sent to the same account on November 20, 2013, and lists "Allison and Howard Lutnick" in the block headed "Benefit Co-Chairs."[^37] A letter of September 13, 2017 from the center's "2017 Dubin Breast Center Benefit Co-Chairs" to Epstein, for the gala of Monday, December 11, 2017, at the Ziegfeld Ballroom, lists "Allison and Howard Lutnick" under "Benefit Committee" (list as of August 31, 2017), and includes a response form headed "Please add my name as a co-chair and reserve the following."[^38]
At the House interview, shown an email from the Dubin Breast Center to Epstein with the subject "A special invitation from Eva Andersson-Dubin" (Majority Exhibit 9), Lutnick was asked "do you recognize this flyer?" and answered "Not offhand, no." Asked "Were you involved with the Dubin Breast Center?" he answered "I gave them money." Asked how he knew Glenn and Eva Dubin: "I met them through the hospital." Asked whether he understood the Dubins to have a relationship with Epstein: "I learned that later, after 2019." Asked whether he was involved in selecting individuals invited to the event: "No." Asked "did you attend this event?": "I don't remember." Asked whether he would know if Epstein attended the event: "I have told ... I have been here and answered every question of every interaction I've had, so I do not recall any other interaction" (pp. 68-69).[^39]
### The 2020 FBI Complaint
On October 14, 2020, a caller who described himself as a former compliance employee of BGC and Cantor Fitzgerald, responsible for "reviewing, reporting, and compliance for all of North America," telephoned the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI]]'s National Threat Operations Center to report alleged money laundering by Lutnick "via BGC Financial and Cantor Fitzgerald." The FBI recorded the call on an FD-71A Guardian complaint form dated April 23, 2021, filed under a money-laundering zero file and under case 50D-NY-3027571, "EPSTEIN, JEFFREY; CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING."[^6]
On October 14, 2020, a caller who described himself as a former compliance employee of BGC and Cantor Fitzgerald, responsible for "reviewing, reporting, and compliance for all of North America," telephoned the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI]]'s National Threat Operations Center to report alleged money laundering by Lutnick "via BGC Financial and Cantor Fitzgerald." The FBI recorded the call on an FD-71A Guardian complaint form dated April 23, 2021, filed under a money-laundering zero file and under case 50D-NY-3027571, "EPSTEIN, JEFFREY; CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING."[^40]
The caller said he had become a whistleblower after uncovering "fraud, money laundering, Ponzi schemes, and regulatory breaches," described a "global Ponzi share" scheme in which more than 3,500 BGC employees were "forced to contribute 10% of their earnings," and said Lutnick "is deeply rooted to the royal family" and used his charities as a "smokescreen." He said he believed he had documents "which could link Lutnick to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell": that [[Ghislaine Maxwell]] and [[Sarah Ferguson]] hosted "La Dolce Vita Parties" to which Lutnick made "huge donations," and that "Epstein also sold Lutnick a house for $10 dollars through a trust fund, which was then sold for millions shortly after prior to the money going overseas." He called Lutnick's gifts to [[Haverford College]] suspicious but "cannot prove any illegal activity concerning this aspect."[^6] The recorded conveyance of 11 East 71st Street ran from Epstein to Comet Trust in 1996 and from Comet Trust to Lutnick in 1998.[^1]
The FBI complaint of October 14, 2020 was identified in a separate released compilation of Guardian complaints, EFTA01684300, as made by [[Simon Andriesz]], a British former BGC managing director (as described by the BBC and The Banker); the caller's name is redacted in the form itself. An FBI email chain dated July 24, 2025, "Epstein - Cellmate Interview," lists under "Howard Lutnick": "Simon Andriesz reported that Lutnick made his money through Ponzi schemes and money laundering. Lutnick and Epstein were neighbors and Epstein sold Lutnick a home for $10 which was then sold for millions." At the House interview of May 6, 2026, asked whether Epstein had any role in the sale of the townhouse he moved into, Lutnick answered: "No. I bought my townhouse from someone ... who owned it. So Epstein did not own the house. So I don't know what that's in reference to" (p. 30).[^41]
The FBI's own queries found that Sentinel and Guardian searches for Lutnick "revealed 26 results in the NY division case files," including a restricted closed case "concerning money laundering" and a control file "concerning a RICO violations/real estate scheme," and that a DIVS query "revealed 34 results, including three SAR's." The form notes: "Queries were not conducted on Epstein and Maxwell due to the sensitive nature of the case."[^6] No charge against Lutnick has been reported, and the Commerce Department has said he "has never been accused of wrongdoing."[^1]
On July 14, 2026 the BBC reported that Andriesz had searched the released files for "HWL," found the May 2018 exchange, and given it to members of the House Oversight Committee before Lutnick's interview; that "some of his allegations later led to BGC being ordered to pay a $3m (£2.24m) penalty by the US derivatives regulator" (CFTC release 8083-19 of November 22, 2019 announces that penalty against BGC Financial, L.P. for supervision, reporting and recordkeeping violations and does not name a whistleblower); that "The FBI did not investigate these accusations"; and that BGC said his allegations "lacked credibility" and were "categorically false." The BBC also reported that Andriesz found in the files that one of Lutnick's firms had made plans in 2013 to go into business with the then Prince Andrew, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, under proposed terms that included a £1 million loan to a firm controlled by him; Cantor Fitzgerald "did not deny the talks took place but told the BBC it did not go into business with the former prince," and the BBC wrote that the deal "came to nothing." In the article's passage on the AdFin allegations, which precedes its passage on Andrew, a Commerce Department statement to the BBC called the allegations "a desperate partisan distraction from the historic work of this Administration."[^41]
The Banker reported on October 2, 2026 that Andriesz, 57, "has died by suicide," citing a statement from [[Andy Agathangelou]], founder of the [[Transparency Task Force]], that he "passed away last week."[^41]
A second FBI intake form, dated October 19, 2020 and recorded as received at 12:11 PM EDT, is marked "UNCLASSIFIED" and bears the case ID 50D-NY-3027571 and the caption "(U) EPSTEIN, JEFFREY; CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING." It records that at 11:43 AM Eastern Time a person whose name and details are redacted "called the FBI National Threat Operations Center (NTOC) to report information about Howard Lutnick, CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, who could be connected to Jeffrey Epstein." The form states that the caller "acted as an internal whistleblower after witnessing some financial irregularities. The CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, Howard Lutnick, was Jeffrey Epstein's neighbor and he believes some of the suspicious financial activities could be related to Epstein's case." It adds that "[redacted] does a huge amount of charity work relating to 9/11 because Cantor Fitzgerald lost many employees that day, but he thinks the charity day is fraudulent," that the person "has documentation he is willing to provide to the FBI to back these claims," that he "claims that Cantor Fitzgerald retaliated against him after he was a whistleblower," and that he "has also submitted this documentation to the [[Internal Revenue Service]]."[^42]
An FD-302 in the same case, serial 593, records a telephone interview on February 16, 2021 (date of entry 04/05/2021; date drafted 03/17/2021; file numbers 272-NY-0 and 50D-NY-3027571) of a person whose name is redacted, who "had been in the securities business for 32 years," "was at [redacted] from 2012 to 2017," and "held a Series 30 license." The form refers to "the fraud allegations [redacted] made in his initial complaint to the FBI." The form records that "[redacted] advised [redacted] and CANTOR FITZGERALD were well known for money laundering" and that "HOWARD LUTNICK (LUTNICK) ran everything and he maintained a very small circle. LUTNICK instructed all of the fraud being committed. He used philanthropy as a smokescreen for illegal activity." On the firm's annual charity day the form records: "Charity days raised $9-10 million each year, and [redacted] thought it was strange it raised nearly the same amount every year." The third page records that the interviewee "advised he has never interacted with LUTNICK" and "had never met EPSTEIN or MAXWELL," and that he "was working with the COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION (CFTC) and he was eligible for their whistleblower program." The first page carries the legend "This document contains neither recommendations nor conclusions of the FBI." Each page carries the legend "SUBJECT TO PROTECTIVE ORDER PARAGRAPHS 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, and 17."[^43]
On January 30, 2025 a research analyst of the FBI's Enterprise Vetting Center wrote to recipients whose names are redacted, at 12:15 PM, under the subject "Expedite ARMS Reach - Howard William Lutnick" followed by the classification suffix "UNCLASSIFIED" (the message is marked "Classification: UNCLASSIFIED" and "Transitory"), that the "ARMS Reach program processes vetting requests for individuals who are going to be within arm's reach of the President of the [[United States]]," and that Lutnick "is listed in the following [PENDING CASE(s)]: 272-NY-0 Serial 197 and 50D-NY-3027571 Serial 530." The reply, sent at 17:48:18 +0000 the same day under the subject "RE: Expedite ARMS Reach - Howard William Lutnick" with the same suffix, reads: "I think you are referencing serial 195 in the 272-NY-0 subfile, not 197. This was an intake interview related to the Guardian in serial 196 where HOWARD LUTNICK was accused of fraud and money laundering. We did not open an investigation as a result of these allegations." The reply does not name the person who made the accusation.[^44]
At the House interview, asked whether his "interactions with Jeffrey Epstein" were "ever discussed or examined in the course of your nomination or vetting process for your current position," Lutnick answered "I don't remember that, no," and asked whether he had ever been questioned by any law enforcement agency in connection with an investigation related to Epstein or [[Ghislaine Maxwell]], "No" (p. 93).[^45]
The caller said he had become a whistleblower after uncovering "fraud, money laundering, Ponzi schemes, and regulatory breaches," described a "global Ponzi share" scheme in which more than 3,500 BGC employees were "forced to contribute 10% of their earnings," and said Lutnick "is deeply rooted to the royal family" and used his charities as a "smokescreen." He said he believed he had documents "which could link Lutnick to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell": that Ghislaine Maxwell and [[Sarah Ferguson]] hosted "La Dolce Vita Parties" to which Lutnick made "huge donations," and that "Epstein also sold Lutnick a house for $10 dollars through a trust fund, which was then sold for millions shortly after prior to the money going overseas." He called Lutnick's gifts to [[Haverford College]] suspicious but "cannot prove any illegal activity concerning this aspect."[^40] The recorded conveyance of 11 East 71st Street ran from Epstein to Comet Trust in 1996 and from Comet Trust to Lutnick in 1998.[^1]
The FBI's own queries found that Sentinel and Guardian searches for Lutnick "revealed 26 results in the NY division case files," including a restricted closed case "concerning money laundering" and a control file "concerning a RICO violations/real estate scheme," and that a DIVS query "revealed 34 results, including three SAR's." The form notes: "Queries were not conducted on Epstein and Maxwell due to the sensitive nature of the case."[^40] No charge against Lutnick has been reported, and the Commerce Department has said he "has never been accused of wrongdoing."[^1]
### Senate and House Questioning
At a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing on February 10, 2026, Lutnick acknowledged the 2012 island visit, saying, "My wife was with me, as were my four children and nannies," and that after first meeting Epstein as a neighbor, "Over the next 14 years, I met him two other times that I can recall."[^3] Senator [[Chris Van Hollen]], the subcommittee's ranking member, told him that "the issue is not that you engaged in any wrongdoing in connection with Jeffrey Epstein, but that you totally misrepresented the extent of your relationship with him to the Congress, to the American people, and to the survivors of his despicable criminal and predatory acts."[^3] Senator [[Jeff Merkley]] listed eight interactions in the files after 2005, including a possible telephone call and an effort to schedule drinks, and said the planned family trip "sounds like somebody you know well enough to call up."[^3] Senator [[Jacky Rosen]] called the same day for his resignation, saying he had "clearly misled the American people."[^7] Representative [[Robert Garcia]], ranking member of the [[House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform|House Oversight Committee]], said: "He said he had no interactions with Epstein after 2005, yet we now know they were in business together."[^1]
At a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing on February 10, 2026, Lutnick acknowledged the 2012 island visit, saying, "My wife was with me, as were my four children and nannies," and that after first meeting Epstein as a neighbor, "Over the next 14 years, I met him two other times that I can recall."[^3] Senator [[Chris Van Hollen]], the subcommittee's ranking member, told him that "the issue is not that you engaged in any wrongdoing in connection with Jeffrey Epstein, but that you totally misrepresented the extent of your relationship with him to the Congress, to the American people, and to the survivors of his despicable criminal and predatory acts."[^3] Senator [[Jeff Merkley]] listed eight interactions in the files after 2005, including a possible telephone call and an effort to schedule drinks, and said the planned family trip "sounds like somebody you know well enough to call up."[^3] Senator [[Jacky Rosen]] called the same day for his resignation, saying he had "clearly misled the American people."[^46] Representative [[Robert Garcia]], ranking member of the [[House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform|House Oversight Committee]], said: "He said he had no interactions with Epstein after 2005, yet we now know they were in business together."[^1]
The Commerce Department's statement called the reporting "nothing more than a failing attempt by the legacy media to distract from the administration's accomplishments" and said that "Secretary Lutnick had limited interactions with Mr. Epstein in the presence of his wife and has never been accused of wrongdoing."[^1] In a closed-door House Oversight interview whose transcript was released in May 2026, Lutnick said he had "no recollection of anything being discussed" on the island, adding, "If you said chitchat, I'd go with that," and "'Discussed' sounds like there was like a discussion, which I don't think there was."[^8] He remained in office.
On October 3, 2013 Richard Kahn sent Epstein an email with a PDF attachment; the body text begins "Attached is resume of Lutnick nanny." At the House interview, a questioner said that "a nanny that was in your employ had sent her resume to Mr. Epstein. Do you know anything about that?" Lutnick answered: "I have no knowledge about it at all." Asked to confirm that he "never encouraged any of the nannies that were under your employment to reach out to Mr. Epstein in any respect," he answered: "That's correct. None" (p. 71). Later a questioner asked whether he knew the name of the person in question ("No"), then showed Minority Exhibit G, read from the body "Attached is a resume of Lutnick nanny," and asked whether the person named in the subject line was the nanny who accompanied the family to Epstein's island; Lutnick answered "I don't know" (pp. 93-94).[^47]
The Commerce Department's statement called the reporting "nothing more than a failing attempt by the legacy media to distract from the administration's accomplishments" and said that "Secretary Lutnick had limited interactions with Mr. Epstein in the presence of his wife and has never been accused of wrongdoing."[^1] In a closed-door House Oversight interview whose transcript was released in May 2026, Lutnick said he had "no recollection of anything being discussed" on the island, adding, "If you said chitchat, I'd go with that," and "'Discussed' sounds like there was like a discussion, which I don't think there was."[^48] He remained in office.
### Footnotes
[^1]: Ruetenik, Daniel, and Graham Kates. "Lutnick and Epstein were in business together, Epstein files show." *CBS News,* updated February 7, 2026. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/howard-lutnick-jeffrey-epstein-in-business-together/
[^2]: U.S. Department of Commerce, leadership biography of Howard Lutnick. https://www.commerce.gov/about/leadership/howard-lutnick
[^3]: "Under fire for Epstein ties, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick defends visiting his private island." *NBC News,* February 10, 2026. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/howard-lutnick-jeffrey-epstein-island-rcna258333
[^4]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA00654552, DataSet 9, email from Lesley Groff to Jeffrey Epstein, April 4, 2011; EFTA01868626, DataSet 10, email from Lesley Groff, "Howard Lutnick Sunday 5pm," April 27, 2011; EFTA02189429, DataSet 10, calendar alarm "5:00 Drinks w/Howard Lutnick," May 1, 2011. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00654552.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01868626.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA02189429.pdf
[^5]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA00401048, DataSet 9, email from Lesley Groff to Howard Lutnick, November 20, 2012; EFTA02152992, DataSet 10, calendar alert, December 20, 2012; EFTA02152944, DataSet 10, calendar alert, December 21, 2012. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00401048.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA02152992.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA02152944.pdf
[^6]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA01249210, DataSet 9, FBI FD-71A Guardian Complaint Form, "Alleged Money Laundering by Howard Lutnick via BGC Financial and Cantor Fitzgerald," April 23, 2021. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA01249210.pdf
[^7]: Office of Senator Jacky Rosen, press release calling for Lutnick's resignation, February 10, 2026. https://www.rosen.senate.gov/2026/02/10/after-secretary-of-commerce-howard-lutnick-admits-to-visiting-jeffrey-epsteins-island-in-2012-rosen-calls-for-his-resignation/
[^8]: *MS NOW,* May 2026, on the released transcript of Lutnick's House Oversight interview. https://www.ms.now/news/howard-lutnick-minimizes-epstein-island-visit-in-newly-released-testimony-transcript
[^4]: CF Acquisition Corp. VI, prospectus (Form 424B4), February 19, 2021, management biography of Howard W. Lutnick. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1830081/000121390021010621/f424b4_cffinance6.htm ; Cantor Equity Partners, Inc., prospectus (Form 424B4), 2024. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1865602/000121390024068145/ea0204552-10.htm
[^5]: "Under fire for Epstein ties, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick defends visiting his private island," *NBC News,* February 10, 2026. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/howard-lutnick-jeffrey-epstein-island-rcna258333
[^6]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA00654552, DataSet 9, email from Lesley Groff to Jeffrey Epstein, April 4, 2011; EFTA01868626, DataSet 10, email from Lesley Groff, "Howard Lutnick Sunday 5pm," April 27, 2011; EFTA02189429, DataSet 10, calendar alarm "5:00 Drinks w/Howard Lutnick," May 1, 2011. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00654552.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01868626.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA02189429.pdf
[^7]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA00401048, DataSet 9, email from Lesley Groff to Howard Lutnick, November 20, 2012; EFTA02152992, DataSet 10, calendar alert, December 20, 2012; EFTA02152944, DataSet 10, calendar alert, December 21, 2012. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00401048.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA02152992.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA02152944.pdf
[^8]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA00398732, DataSet 9, email from Lesley Groff, "Re: Jeffrey Epstein," December 21, 2012. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00398732.pdf
[^9]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA02438886, DataSet 11, email "HOward Lutnick," October 19, 2009. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02438886.pdf
[^10]: U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, transcribed interview of Howard Lutnick, May 6, 2026, pp. 9-10, 18, 19, 31-32. https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Lutnick-Transcript.pdf
[^11]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA02360594, DataSet 11, email "reminder Howard Lutnick," April 5, 2011; EFTA01866662, DataSet 10, email from Jeffrey Epstein to Lesley Groff, April 26, 2011; EFTA02546526, DataSet 11, email "Howard Lutnick," October 28, 2011. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02360594.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01866662.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02546526.pdf
[^12]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA00289560, DataSet 9, AdFin Solutions, Inc. Series A Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement, Exhibit A, Schedule of Purchasers, EFTA00289583 to EFTA00289585; EFTA00796718, DataSet 9, AD/FIN presentation, cap table as of 1.4.18 (page EFTA00796738). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00289560.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00796718.pdf
[^13]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA00289560, DataSet 9, AdFin Solutions, Inc. Series A Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement dated December 28, 2012, counterpart signature pages EFTA00289580 and EFTA00289581 (purchase agreement), EFTA00289633 and EFTA00289634 (Investors' Rights Agreement), EFTA00289651 and EFTA00289652 (Right of Refusal and Co-Sale Agreement), EFTA00289668 and EFTA00289669 (Voting Agreement); Exhibit A, Schedule of Purchasers, EFTA00289583 to EFTA00289585. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00289560.pdf
[^14]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA00289560, DataSet 9, letter agreement of July 2013, EFTA00289678 to EFTA00289680; EFTA00289722, DataSet 9, stock certificate PA-7 for 800,000 Series A shares, July 23, 2013. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00289560.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00289722.pdf
[^15]: U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, transcribed interview of Howard Lutnick, May 6, 2026, pp. 9, 26 to 30, 87 to 89. https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Lutnick-Transcript.pdf
[^16]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA00399317, DataSet 9, email from "Lutnick, Howard" to Jeffrey Epstein, "Sunday," December 19, 2012 (header dated December 20, 2012 00:48 UTC); EFTA00399319, DataSet 9, email from Jeffrey Epstein, "Re: Sunday," December 20, 2012. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00399317.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00399319.pdf
[^17]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA00398728, DataSet 9, email chain "Re: hi," December 21, 2012. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00398728.pdf
[^18]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA02152290, DataSet 10, email "Lutnick," December 23, 2012; EFTA02152298, DataSet 10, email "RE: Lutnick," December 23, 2012. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA02152290.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA02152298.pdf
[^19]: U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, transcribed interview of Howard Lutnick, May 6, 2026, pp. 22 to 23. https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Lutnick-Transcript.pdf
[^20]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA02155312, DataSet 10, Google Calendar reminder, November 21, 2012. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA02155312.pdf
[^21]: U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, transcribed interview of Howard Lutnick, May 6, 2026, pp. 22, 34-35, 70-71, 84-86. https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Lutnick-Transcript.pdf
[^22]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA00398744, DataSet 9, email of December 24, 2012, attachment "TopTenDB.pdf"; EFTA00398745, DataSet 9, email chain of December 24, 2012 with reply "Thanks!" https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00398744.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00398745.pdf
[^23]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA00398076, DataSet 9, email of January 8, 2013 (attachment "20130108114617637.pdf"); EFTA00398140 and EFTA00398150, DataSet 9, replies of January 8 and 9, 2013; EFTA02149688, DataSet 10, email of January 29, 2013. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00398076.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00398140.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00398150.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA02149688.pdf
[^24]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA00642384, DataSet 9, email from David Mitchell to Jeffrey Epstein, May 4, 2013; House transcript, p. 28. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00642384.pdf
[^25]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA00289541, DataSet 9, Note Purchase Agreement dated December 26, 2013, signature page EFTA00289550; EFTA00289527, DataSet 9, stockholder consent, signature pages EFTA00289531 and EFTA00289532. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00289541.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00289527.pdf
[^26]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA01942504, DataSet 10, email from David Mitchell to Jeffrey Epstein, January 7, 2014. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01942504.pdf
[^27]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA01084694, DataSet 9, letter from David J. Mitchell, February 16, 2016, with Exhibit A (page EFTA01084696) and investor presentation (page EFTA01084707). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA01084694.pdf
[^28]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA00877345, DataSet 9, email chain "AD/FIN Update & Financing," January 26 to February 26, 2018; EFTA00836715, DataSet 9, Richard Kahn to Jeffrey Epstein, April 13, 2018; EFTA00796718, DataSet 9, AD/FIN presentation, slide 21 (page EFTA00796738). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00877345.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00836715.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00796718.pdf
[^29]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA01050772, DataSet 9, email chain "Re: thanks for letting me know," May 28, 2018. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA01050772.pdf
[^30]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA00873540 and EFTA00873541, DataSet 9, emails of July 10, 2013; EFTA02573653, DataSet 11, thread "Re: HL Loan - CD/SM call note 8.8.13," August 9, 2013; EFTA01107738, DataSet 9, term sheet of August 29, 2013; EFTA01958492 and EFTA01958705, DataSet 10, thread "Term Sheet from Cantor Fitzgerald to Mr. T," September 2, 2013; EFTA01141453, DataSet 9, draft "Agreement for Referrals"; EFTA01949796 and EFTA01949827, DataSet 10, emails of November 16, 2013; Companies House, "URRAMOOR LIMITED," company number 08424933, persons with significant control, https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/08424933/persons-with-significant-control . https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00873540.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02573653.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA01107738.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01958492.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA01141453.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01949827.pdf
[^31]: Verity, Andy, Rob Byrne and Ben Milne. "How US commerce secretary's Epstein links were uncovered by British whistleblower." *BBC News,* July 14, 2026. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9q28dlyxrzo
[^32]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA02568733, DataSet 11, forwarded message of November 8, 2017 from John Paulson. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02568733.pdf
[^33]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA00957552, DataSet 9, emails of November 8 and 14, 2017; EFTA02568733, DataSet 11, emails of November 8 and 9, 2017, "UJA Wall Street Dinner honoring Howard Lutnick." https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00957552.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02568733.pdf
[^34]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA02228507 and EFTA00462704, DataSet 11 and DataSet 9, emails of November 9, 2017, "Jeffrey Epstein-UJA Wall Street Dinner Donation." https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02228507.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00462704.pdf
[^35]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA01187332, DataSet 9, email from the Dubin Breast Center, "A special invitation from Eva Andersson-Dubin, MD," November 14, 2012. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA01187332.pdf
[^36]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA00527007, DataSet 9, email "Re: A special invitation from Eva Andersson-Dubin, MD," November 14, 2012. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00527007.pdf
[^37]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA01141329, DataSet 9, email from the Dubin Breast Center, November 20, 2013. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA01141329.pdf
[^38]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA00811560, DataSet 9, Dubin Breast Center letter of September 13, 2017 with response form. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00811560.pdf
[^39]: U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, transcribed interview of Howard Lutnick, May 6, 2026, pp. 68-69. https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Lutnick-Transcript.pdf
[^40]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA01249210, DataSet 9, FBI FD-71A Guardian Complaint Form, "Alleged Money Laundering by Howard Lutnick via BGC Financial and Cantor Fitzgerald," April 23, 2021. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA01249210.pdf
[^41]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA01684300, DataSet 10; EFTA01648946, DataSet 10, email of July 24, 2025, "Epstein - Cellmate Interview"; U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, transcribed interview of Howard Lutnick, May 6, 2026, p. 30; Andy Verity, Rob Byrne and Ben Milne, "How US commerce secretary's Epstein links were uncovered by British whistleblower," *BBC News,* July 14, 2026, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9q28dlyxrzo ; U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, release 8083-19, November 22, 2019, https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/PressReleases/8083-19 ; Chris Newlands, "Whistleblower who flagged Lutnick's links to Epstein dies," *The Banker,* October 2, 2026, https://www.thebanker.com/content/02286d53-0338-42ef-996d-5f7712b9f133
[^42]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA01249205, DataSet 9, FBI Intake, October 19, 2020 (second page EFTA01249206). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA01249205.pdf
[^43]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA01249207, DataSet 9, FD-302, 50D-NY-3027571 Serial 593, interview of February 16, 2021 (continuation pages EFTA01249208 and EFTA01249209). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA01249207.pdf
[^44]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA00173881, DataSet 9, email chain "Expedite ARMS Reach - Howard William Lutnick," January 30, 2025. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00173881.pdf
[^45]: U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, transcribed interview of Howard Lutnick, May 6, 2026, p. 93. https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Lutnick-Transcript.pdf
[^46]: Office of Senator Jacky Rosen, press release calling for Lutnick's resignation, February 10, 2026. https://www.rosen.senate.gov/2026/02/10/after-secretary-of-commerce-howard-lutnick-admits-to-visiting-jeffrey-epsteins-island-in-2012-rosen-calls-for-his-resignation/
[^47]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA00971793, DataSet 9, email from Richard Kahn to Jeffrey Epstein, October 3, 2013; U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, transcribed interview of Howard Lutnick, May 6, 2026, pp. 71, 93-94. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00971793.pdf ; https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Lutnick-Transcript.pdf
[^48]: *MS NOW,* May 2026, on the released transcript of Lutnick's House Oversight interview. https://www.ms.now/news/howard-lutnick-minimizes-epstein-island-visit-in-newly-released-testimony-transcript