Simon Andriesz is dead. The 57-year-old former British banker, who served as a managing director at BGC Group, took his own life last week while living in Cornwall. Andy Agathangelou, founder of the Transparency Task Force, confirmed the death to The Banker, describing Andriesz as a valued member of their community. The circumstances surrounding his death remain unknown, but his passing follows months of intense scrutiny over his claims regarding US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
Andriesz had told the BBC in July that he uncovered a 2018 email chain showing discussions between Lutnick and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein about a joint start-up. His allegations featured prominently in a BBC File on 4 Investigates episode titled “The Epstein Files: Lutnick, the Royals and the British Whistleblower.” Lutnick, who served as CEO of BGC Group during Andriesz’s tenure, did not respond to immediate requests for comment on the death. However, the Commerce Secretary has previously addressed his past interactions with Epstein, acknowledging a 2012 lunch on the financier’s private island during a family boat trip.
“I did have lunch with him as I was on a boat going across on a family vacation,” Lutnick told the Senate Appropriations Committee in February. He emphasized that his wife, four children, and nannies were present for the hour-long meal. Lutnick has condemned Epstein’s crimes, stating that survivors deserve respect, while maintaining that his own conduct was lawful. Andriesz’s final public appearance was an X post on August 9, where he shared links to his interviews and warned that the retaliation he faced had been “devastating” for his family.
John Robertson, a friend and representative of the late whistleblower, has launched a GoFundMe campaign to ensure Andriesz’s legacy supports his surviving son. “We have established this fundraiser to support his son’s education, welfare and future opportunities,” Robertson said in a statement. The campaign explicitly states that every penny raised will go directly to the family, with no organizers receiving personal benefit. As the Epstein files continue to dominate legal and political discourse in Washington, Andriesz’s death adds a tragic human dimension to the high-stakes battle over transparency and accountability.