The Financial Conduct Authority has opened an investigation into its handling of whistleblower Simon Andriesz, a British banker who died last month at 57.
Andriesz had exposed alleged connections between the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick. The campaign group Transparency Task Force, of which Andriesz was a member, confirmed his death over the weekend.
The FCA's investigation will examine how the regulator treated Andriesz while he raised concerns about the alleged Epstein-Lutnick ties. The precise details of those concerns, the timeline of Andriesz's engagement with the FCA, and the specific criticisms of the regulator's conduct remain unclear from the available information. The source does not specify when Andriesz first approached the FCA, what response he received, or what particular failings the investigation will examine.
Andriesz's death follows a pattern of heightened scrutiny around how institutions have handled individuals who have brought forward allegations or evidence connected to Epstein, who died in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
The investigation represents a formal acknowledgment by the FCA that questions exist about its process. Transparency Task Force has positioned itself as an advocate for whistleblower protections in the financial sector.