Howard Lutnick said he had three ‘inconsequential’ meetings with Epstein

Howard Lutnick said in a House committee transcript that he met Jeffrey Epstein three times, in 2005, 2011, and 2012, and that none of the meetings formed a personal or professional relationship. The Guardian US and BBC News report his description of the encounters as not constituting a personal or professional relationship and that he witnessed no illegal conduct during the meetings. The Washington Times reports Lutnick backing away from a prior claim that Epstein blackmailed people, in an interview with House lawmakers. The BBC also notes the three interactions included Epstein’s island visit and a New York neighbor relationship. Disagreements center on whether the three meetings imply any ongoing ties and whether blackmail claims were retracted in full.