Overview
- The New Republic published excerpts of a May 28, 2018 message in which Epstein asked a recipient labeled “HWL” about AdFin’s prospects, followed by a reply projecting revenue and referencing Cantor Fitzgerald.
- Reporting indicates both Epstein and Lutnick backed AdFin in 2012, with CBS citing Justice Department documents showing their signatures on a contract, and a whistleblower telling Mother Jones that Lutnick signed via a Cantor Fitzgerald–held LLC.
- Separate emails show Lutnick’s family visited Epstein’s island on December 23, 2012, a stop he later acknowledged in Senate testimony as a brief lunch during a vacation transit.
- Lutnick denied substantive ties during a recent congressional hearing, and a Commerce spokesperson told CBS News he had limited interactions, while a source close to him said Cantor was a minority investor and he did not know other backers.
- Congress continues to review millions of Epstein-related records as the Justice Department partially lifts redactions, with the White House expressing support for Lutnick and some lawmakers, including Rep. Thomas Massie, urging his resignation.