Howard William Lutnick is the chairman and CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald and, since January 2025, the U.S. Secretary of Commerce. The Epstein archive contains 116 emails across 72 threads documenting a social relationship between Lutnick and Jeffrey Epstein spanning 2009 to 2018, including holiday visits to Epstein's Caribbean properties, shared real estate disputes on the Upper East Side, mutual charity fundraising, and a 2015 Hillary Clinton fundraiser hosted at Cantor Fitzgerald's offices. Also in the archive: a January 2025 FBI vetting request for Lutnick's ARMS Reach clearance (proximity to the President), which references a prior FBI intake interview where Lutnick was accused of fraud and money laundering, though no investigation was opened.
Early contact (2009-2011)#
The earliest mention of Lutnick in the archive appears in an October 2009 email from Rich Barnett relaying that "Howard Lumick would like to speak to you" and asking whether to share Epstein's phone number.
By March 2011, the relationship was active enough that Lutnick's office was scheduling calls through Lesley Groff, Epstein's personal assistant. A March 24, 2011 exchange shows Groff coordinating with Lutnick's assistants "Mathew and Katie" at Cantor Fitzgerald (212-829-4926) to arrange a phone call for April 4. Epstein agreed: "4th of april ok." A Google Calendar reminder from the same period confirms: "JE to call Howard Lutnick today. Call Mathew to organize."
On May 5, 2011, a calendar alarm entry reads: "5:00 Drinks w/Howard Lutnick."
Caribbean visits (2012-2013)#
In November 2012, Groff emailed Lutnick directly: "Jeffrey Epstein understands you will be down in St. Thomas some over the holidays. Jeffrey requested I please pass along some phone numbers to you so the two of you can possibly get together." The email included cell numbers for Epstein's island caretakers and his St. Thomas office (FTC), copying Daphne Wallace and Anna Rodriguez. Matthew Gilbert, from the "Office of Howard W. Lutnick, Chairman, Cantor Fitzgerald, 499 Park Avenue," replied with Howard's and Allison Lutnick's cell numbers.
Lutnick responded with his first direct email to Epstein on December 19, 2012:
Hi Jeff, 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 (Michael and Marcy Lehrman) with me on my boat, and each of us has 4 children- two 16's, two 14's, a 13, a 12, an 11, and a 7-year old.
A subsequent calendar entry asks: "can Howard Lutnick do lunch Sat or Sun on JE's island?" Another entry titled "Alert" reads: "can Howard Lutnick do lunch on Sat. 22nd or Sun. 23rd?"
On January 8, 2013, Groff sent Lutnick a message: "Hello Howard. Please see attached from Jeffrey Epstein." Later that month, on January 29, 2013, Groff forwarded Lutnick an NPR article about Antigua's intellectual property laws, noting: "Jeffrey requested I send you the below link."
Hillary Clinton fundraiser at Cantor Fitzgerald (2015)#
On November 3, 2015, Lutnick sent Epstein a direct email:
I would like to invite you to attend a very intimate fundraising event with Hillary Clinton from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM at the Cantor Fitzgerald Offices on November 11th. Please R.S.V.P. (Contribution form is attached to this email.)
This email was sent from "Howard Lutnick" using the Cantor Fitzgerald email system.
UJA Wall Street Dinner and $50,000 donation (2017)#
In November 2017, billionaire investor John Paulson sent an invitation to the UJA-Federation of New York's Wall Street Dinner, honoring "our good friend Howard W. Lutnick, Chairman and CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald L.P." Groff forwarded this to Epstein, who replied with a single word: "50k."
Groff then asked Epstein: "Do you intend to use the table for 10 at the UJA Wall Street Dinner honoring Howard Lutnick on Dec 11th? Your donation of $50,000 gets you the table and a journal page in their program." Epstein replied: "no, tell lutnik he can fill them."
Richard Kahn, who handled logistics from Epstein's New York office, arranged to deliver the $50,000 check from "Gratitude America" (an Epstein foundation) to Paulson's address. The UJA organizer asked whether Jeffrey would "like to submit a congratulatory message for Howard in our commemorative journal" and to confirm listing "Jeffrey Epstein" in their "Roll of Honor." Epstein agreed.
Frick Museum building dispute (2018)#
The most sustained correspondence between Lutnick and Epstein concerns the Frick Collection's proposed expansion on East 70th Street. Both men owned properties nearby and objected to the construction plans.
On May 20, 2018, Lutnick emailed Epstein urgently about the Frick's building plans:
You should put in a letter. I'm sending a lawyer. Don't ignore this. They will build exactly across from you 1. A bus and group entrance, 2 a loading dock for party rentals (used almost every weekend), 3 a massive building to block your sunlight and views. They are trying to jam it through, it matters that we fight. My real estate lawyer is attending and will vehemently object.
Lawyer Babak Yaghmaie then contacted Epstein and others, urging coordinated opposition: "Howard Please see the letter we submitted on Friday. I understand getting a similar letter in will be helpful, as will an appearance." Yaghmaie added he had "not been able to reach Epstein, Miller or the neighbor on the east side of your building." Groff relayed the message and Epstein replied: "Will do."
FBI ARMS Reach vetting (January 2025)#
Three emails from January 30, 2025, subject line "Expedite ARMS Reach - Howard William Lutnick," document the FBI's Enterprise Vetting Center (EVC) processing a vetting request for Lutnick's proximity clearance to the President of the United States. The ARMS Reach program, authorized under 18 U.S.C. 3056 and 3056A, vets individuals who will be "within arm's reach of POTUS."
An FBI response noted: "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."
See also#
- Lesley Groff — Epstein's personal assistant who coordinated most Lutnick communications
- Rich Kahn — Epstein office staff who arranged the $50,000 UJA donation logistics