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British whistleblower, 57, who exposed Lutnick links to Jeffrey Epstein was found hanged in Thailand
It has been revealed that a whistleblower who exposed the link between disgraced pedophile Jeffrey Epstein and US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick died by hanging in Thailand last month.
On September 23, UK-based Simon Andriesz was found dead in Khlong Luang Town, a town just outside Bangkok, and his cause of death has since been listed as “asphyxiation from hanging”.
Andriesz exposed some of the biggest scandals in the Epstein files
The 57-year-old British banker, who once worked on Wall Street, claimed his former boss Lutnick, a key aide of Donald Trump, failed to disclose an important business relationship with Epstein.
In 2018, Andriesz uncovered emails which he claimed proved Lutnick and Epstein were discussing a start-up business which they were both involved in. While the abusive financier died in prison the following year, Andriesz came forward with his findings, which were taken from the Epstein files, and showed them to US politicians on the House Oversight Committee, before Lutnick was interrogated by them in May.
Claiming they were not evidence of wrongdoing, Lutnick remained adamant that he only learned this year that Epstein had been an investor in the firm, and the US Commerce Department took little convincing and largely believed him.
The late former banker and father also later revealed to the BBC that one of Lutnick's lucrative firms had planned in 2013 to go into business with former British prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. Making matters more dangerous for himself, Andriesz claimed the target was to commercially exploit contacts made by the former UK trade envoy through a £1 million loan to “basically buy a prince”.
Andriesz' family have released a statement in tribute to the 'much-loved father'
In a statement given to the Daily Mail, Andriesz’ heartbroken family said: “Simon was a much-loved husband, father, brother, son and friend, and his loss has left an enormous hole in the lives of those who knew and loved him.
“He was also a man with a very strong sense of right and wrong. When Simon believed something was wrong, he found it extraordinarily difficult simply to look the other way. That determination came at a considerable personal cost, but he continued to speak out because he genuinely believed that doing so mattered.
“As a family, we are immensely grateful for the kindness and support that has been shown since Simon's death, including from people around the world who never met him but were touched by his story.
“Our hope now is that Simon is remembered not simply for the circumstances of his death, but for his life, his courage and the issues he spent so many years trying to bring into the light.”
“If something meaningful can come from this tragedy, particularly in the way whistleblowers and vulnerable people are treated and supported, then that would be an important part of Simon's legacy.
“Above all, Simon was a husband and father, and his family would ask that his son, and those closest to him are afforded compassion and privacy while they grieve.”
A friend of Andriesz, John Robertson, has set up a GoFundMe page for his son's “education, welfare and future opportunities” with a target of £35,000.
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