Lutnick testified he knew little about Epstein, his next-door neighbor

Politics Lutnick testified he knew little about Epstein, his next-door neighbor By Graham Kates Graham Kates Reporter Graham Kates is an investigative reporter covering criminal justice, privacy issues and information security for CBS News Digital. Contact Graham at KatesG@cbsnews.com or grahamkates@protonmail.com Read Full Bio Graham Kates May 13, 2026 / 6:41 PM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said he was unaware for years that his next-door neighbor Jeffrey Epstein was a registered sex offender, according to a transcript of testimony released Wednesday by the House Oversight Committee.Lutnick also described a "crude" remark Epstein once made about getting "the right kind of massage." "He said it to me, and my wife is standing next to me, and we looked at each other, and we left," Lutnick said.Lutnick recounted that conversation as he voluntarily testified before the committee behind closed doors on May 6. He faced questions about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and his evolving statements about their history.That day, Democrats on the committee accused Lutnick of being evasive, saying he "made a farce of the English language" in order to mislead the public, and calling on him to resign over his changing accounts of his interactions with the late sex offender.But GOP Rep. James Comer, the Oversight Committee's chairman, said Democrats were twisting Lutnick's words and had come into the interview to push a "narrative" to damage President Trump."It's never about holding people accountable that should have prosecuted Epstein years ago. It's always about Donald Trump," Comer told reporters on May 6. The files revealed that Epstein and Lutnick were in business together as recently as 2014, investing simultaneously in a now-shuttered advertising company called Adfin. Lutnick said during the deposition that he was unaware Epstein was also an early investor in the company.Lutnick has for years insisted he had little r...