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By Hugh Cameron
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Howard Lutnick's real estate ties to financier and child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein are once again drawing scrutiny, given the commerce secretary's apparent support for President Donald Trump's dismissal of what he described as "the Epstein case."
A 2019 investigation by Crain's found that Epstein—in addition to his infamous townhouse at 9 East 71st Street in Manhattan, also known as the Herbert N. Straus House—had significant links to the adjacent property, which real estate records show is still owned by Lutnick.
When approached for comment on the property and Lutnick's relationship with his former neighbor, the Commerce Department told Newsweek that the pair "had no personal relationship, contact, or direct dealings."
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Why It Matters
The dispute that has arisen in the Republican Party over Epstein, and the "client list" he is alleged to have possessed, has become a significant thorn in the side of the Trump administration. Prominent MAGA figures including Tucker Carlson and Alex Jones have voiced anger at the refusal to release full details regarding Epstein's past relationships, and the handling of the case has resulted in feuds within and between federal agencies, according to CNN and the BBC.
The president himself had long-standing personal ties to Epstein, who died in 2019 from what the Department of Justice recently confirmed as suicide. However, the suicide finding has been disputed by his lawyers and is doubted by a significant number of Americans.
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Lutnick's own links to Epstein stem from overlapping property interests, and do not indicate any interactions or past relationship between the pair. However, the details have nonetheless garnered significant interest on social media, with prominent accounts sharing the information and their posts amassing millions of views. Many are pointing to the findings as further reason to scrutinize the administration's reluctance to provide full transparency over the financier's past connections and the circumstances surrounding his death.
What To Know
The property at 11 E. 71st St. is situated east of Fifth Avenue, on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. In 2015, Lutnick, then CEO of financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald, hosted a fundraiser for Democratic Primary candidate Hillary Clinton at the 10,000-square-foot home, and real estate records still list him as the property's owner.
In addition to being his neighbor, real estate records show that Epstein was also listed as an owner of the property prior to Lutnick purchasing it in 1998.
As first revealed in Crain's 2019 investigation, a now-dissolved entity with links to Epstein called SAM Conversion Corp. bought 11 E. 71st St. in 1988. It was later sold for an unknown consideration to a specialized trust, then to another, the Comet Trust, in 1996. The latter, Crain's found, had financial and familial ties to an individual whose name appeared in Epstein's "black book" of contacts, obtained by the FBI during its investigation.
In addition, property records seen by Newsweek show that Epstein was listed as the trustee of the building during these transactions and transfers, while playing a direct role in them. Epstein granted his lawyer Jeffrey Schantz power of attorney over the property in 1996, selling it to the Comet Trust a few weeks later.
In 1998, the Comet Trust sold the property to Lutnick, who took out a $4 million mortgage for the purchase, which was paid off in 2018.
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The reemergence of these facts has drawn significant attention on social media, with many noting Lutnick's response when Trump again dismissed the relevance of the Epstein case to his presidency.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Trump said: "I don't understand why the Jeffrey Epstein case would be of interest to anybody. It's pretty boring stuff." Trump then blamed "fake news" for keeping the story relevant, prompting a laugh from Lutnick, who stood beside the president Joint Air Base Andrews.
"Howard Lutnick, who is laughing it up next to Trump, was Epstein's neighbor in NYC and lived in one of his previous homes, btw..." the X account of progressive media company MeidasTouch posted.
What People Are Saying
Mark Shanahan, professor of politics at the University of Surrey, previously told Newsweek: "The Epstein backlash has the power to hurt Trump badly and will be far and away the largest factor in his latest polling slip. Releasing the Epstein Files is the Holy Grail for the MAGA base."
YouTuber and self-described "internet detective" Coffeezilla posted the video of Lutnick and Trump alongside the caption: "Howard Lutnick was Epstein's neighbor. The laughing at the end..."
White House spokesperson Harrison Fields, responding to reports of internal dissent on the Epstein issue, told NewsNation on July 11: "Any attempt to sow division within this team is baseless and distracts from the real progress being made in restoring public safety and pursuing justice for all."
What Happens Next?
As Republican infighting over the case continues, Trump has shifted responsibility to Attorney General Pam Bondi, who he said on Tuesday should release "whatever she thinks is credible" regarding Epstein.
Update 07/17/25, 4:41 a.m. ET: This article was updated with a response from the Department of Commerce.
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