Thomas Pritzker steps down as Hyatt’s executive chairman following the release of emails showing his contact with the convicted sex offender.
WASHINGTON: Hyatt Hotels Corporation’s executive chairman, Thomas Pritzker, has resigned following the disclosure of email communications with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Pritzker announced his retirement from the role and stated he would not seek re-election to the board at the company’s shareholders meeting in May. In a statement reported by US media, Pritzker cited the need for “good stewardship” of the Hyatt brand.
“Good stewardship… means protecting Hyatt, particularly in the context of my association with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell which I deeply regret,” Pritzker said.
The company confirmed his departure in a statement that did not mention Epstein by name. Reports revealed a 2018 email exchange where Epstein asked Pritzker for help securing hotel reservations for a woman travelling in Asia.
The woman told Pritzker she was “going to try to find a new girlfriend for Jeffrey,” to which Pritzker replied: “May the Force be with you.” US businessman Thomas Pritzker maintained contact with Epstein well after the financier’s 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor.
Epstein died in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide by the New York City medical examiner.
His associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for her role in conspiring to traffic girls. The release of numerous files from Epstein’s estate has exposed his extensive network of connections with global elites.
Many figures linked to him have subsequently resigned from prominent positions. Pritzker is a cousin of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, a potential contender for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028.
