Fergie Grew Closer to Another Billionaire Who 'Stepped Up' For Her When Epstein Didn't
Sources have described the relationship as 'personal,' not just philanthropic.
Sarah Ferguson’s name has frequently surfaced in discussions surrounding Jeffrey Epstein and the role he played to pull her out of her debts. However, a new claim suggests that while Epstein was a prominent figure, another financier may have played a far more significant role in her life. On his Substack, royal columnist Rob Shuter argues that Ferguson’s relationship with billionaire financier and US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick was considerably closer than her ties to Epstein. Citing insider accounts, Shuter suggests the bond was not only social but a sustained connection.
“They weren’t acquaintances who bumped into each other at charity galas,” one insider says, as quoted by Shuter. “They were tight. Loyal. Protective of each other. This was a real circle — and everyone inside it knew exactly who mattered.” Lutnick has publicly acknowledged visiting Epstein’s Little St. James Island in 2012. Yet Shuter’s sources argue that his relationship with Ferguson operated on a separate track. Most notably, Lutnick is said to have provided her children’s charity, Chances for Children, with complimentary office space at the World Trade Center, easing financial pressure at a critical time.
“When Jeffrey grew weary of the constant asks, Howard didn’t,” a longtime associate tells Shuter. “Howard stepped up. He was consistent. He was generous. And he didn’t make her beg.”
The biggest distinction between the two was that Epstein’s support after a point cooled, but Lutnick’s reportedly did not. Another source added that the dynamic went beyond conventional philanthropy. “Howard wasn’t just cutting checks,” the source says bluntly. “He was close. Very close. This wasn’t arm’s-length philanthropy — this was personal.”
Within Ferguson’s circle, the familiarity was well enough known to inspire a private nickname: her American 'sugar daddy.'
The contrast, according to the report, is all the more significant when Epstein’s role is revisited. The financier had previously assisted Ferguson during periods of financial strain, most notably when she faced mounting debts. However, that help reportedly came with expectations attached — whether in the form of access, introductions, or reputational proximity. His support, sources suggest, was neither open-ended nor uncomplicated. Speaking to the Daily Mail, an insider had claimed the relationship was often transactional. “She [Ferguson] would borrow it from him [Epstein] and then say something stupid, which would make the papers and infuriate him. He wasn't that fond of her; she was more of a useful idiot to him,” the source alleged. According to the same insider, Epstein saw strategic value in the connection. “She offered him a way into Andrew's good graces and, by default, the good graces of the royals.”
Recently released documents appear to underline the extent of his financial involvement. Emails from the Epstein files show that the disgraced financier helped cover roughly $60,000 in debts Ferguson reportedly owed to her former assistant. The disclosures add fresh detail to what had previously been understood as limited assistance. Ferguson has, in the past, admitted to accepting $20,500 from Epstein to help settle debts in 2011, later calling it a “gigantic error of judgment,” particularly given his 2008 conviction for sexual assault. At the time, she maintained that she deeply regretted the decision.
