Billionaire Thomas Pritzker Resigns from Hyatt Over Epstein Connections
Billionaire Thomas Pritzker, aged 75, has stepped down from his role as executive chairman of Hyatt Hotels Corporation, citing his ties to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The announcement was made by the hotel chain on Monday, marking a significant development in the ongoing fallout from the release of millions of documents related to Epstein's crimes.
Pritzker's Statement and Regret
In a public statement, Pritzker expressed deep regret over his association with Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for her involvement in Epstein's sex trafficking ring. "My job and responsibility is to provide good stewardship," Pritzker said, emphasizing that this meant "protecting Hyatt, particularly in the context of my association with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell which I deeply regret."
He added, "I exercised terrible judgment in maintaining contact with them, and there is no excuse for failing to distance myself sooner. I condemn the actions and the harm caused by Epstein and Maxwell and I feel deep sorrow for the pain they inflicted on their victims." Pritzker, who is married to Margot Pritzker and is a cousin to Democratic Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, had served as executive chairman since 2004.
Revelations from Epstein Files
The Department of Justice's release of Epstein-related documents revealed that Pritzker maintained contact with Epstein long after the financier pleaded guilty in Florida in 2008 to soliciting prostitution from a minor. In a 2018 email exchange reported by multiple outlets, Epstein asked Pritzker to help arrange a trip to Asia for Karyna Shuliak, reportedly Epstein's girlfriend. When Pritzker inquired about her plans, Shuliak responded, "Going to try to find a new girlfriend for Jeffrey." Pritzker replied with, "May the Force be with you," accompanied by a smiley-face emoji.
Further communications from 2003 showed Pritzker messaging Maxwell about a dinner party. Maxwell mentioned that five models would be serving at the event, to which Pritzker suggested, "This would be far more fun," if the guests were servers and the models were guests, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Immediate Leadership Change and Broader Fallout
Hyatt's president and CEO, Mark Hoplamazian, will assume the role of chairman of the board effective immediately. Pritzker's resignation adds to a growing list of prominent figures facing consequences for their Epstein ties, including former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, top Goldman Sachs lawyer Kathryn Ruemmler, and talent agency founder Casey Wasserman.
Republican Representative Thomas Massie from Kentucky and Democratic Representative Ro Khanna from California, who both advocated for the release of the Epstein files, shared the news on social media. Massie posted on X, "Chairman of Hyatt Hotels stepping down as a result of Epstein disclosures," while Khanna questioned, "Tom Pritzker is part of the Epstein class & is stepping down as Chairman of Hyatt. Will he also step down as Chairman of the Pritzker organization which manages various Pritzker family assets?"
The Independent has reached out to Governor JB Pritzker's office for comment regarding his cousin's departure from the Hyatt board. Epstein died in his New York City jail cell in 2019 while facing federal sex trafficking charges, and the ongoing disclosures continue to impact individuals connected to his network.
