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Graham Kates is an investigative reporter covering criminal justice, privacy issues and information security for CBS News Digital. Contact Graham at [email protected] or [email protected]

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May 13, 2026 / 6:41 PM EDT / CBS News

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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.…