Billionaire Thomas Pritzker has stepped down as executive chair of the Hyatt hotel chain following revelations about his continued contact with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Pritzker, 75, said he had exercised “terrible judgment” in maintaining relationships with Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted in 2021 for her role in recruiting and grooming underage girls.
Documents released by the US Department of Justice show that Pritzker remained in regular contact with Epstein after Epstein’s 2008 plea deal on charges of procuring a minor for prostitution.
Pritzker, who had served as Hyatt’s executive chair since 2004, said he decided to step down following discussions with the board and would not stand for re-election.
In a statement issued by his family office, the Pritzker Organisation, he said: “My job and responsibility is to provide good stewardship … Good stewardship includes ensuring a proper transition at Hyatt.
“Good stewardship also means protecting Hyatt, particularly in the context of my association with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell which I deeply regret. 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.”
Justice Department records detail multiple communications between Pritzker and Epstein over a period of years.
One 2003 email exchange between Maxwell and Pritzker described a dinner party guest list, with Maxwell noting that five models would be “serving girls.”
Pritzker responded by suggesting that the invited guests should act as servers while the models should attend as guests, writing: “This would be far more fun.”
Pritzker previously served as Hyatt’s president and chief executive. The company was founded by his father, Jay Pritzker.
The group, which includes brands such as Park Hyatt and Secrets Resorts & Spas, operates more than 1,450 hotels and resorts worldwide and employs more than 220,000 people.
Hyatt’s board has appointed Mark Hoplamazian, the company’s current president and chief executive, to succeed Pritzker as chair with immediate effect.
In a letter to the board, Pritzker did not mention Epstein but noted that he would turn 76 in June and said he was “very confident that Hyatt has built the strength and agility to carry on and thrive.”
Pritzker is the latest senior business figure to step aside following the release of the Epstein files, which detailed the late financier’s connections to prominent figures across politics, business and academia.
Last week, Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, chairman of DP World, which owns P&O Ferries, resigned after revelations about his ties to Epstein.
Kathy Ruemmler, Goldman Sachs’ top lawyer and a former White House counsel to Barack Obama, also announced her resignation after emails revealed a close relationship with Epstein. This month, Brad Karp stepped down as chair of the US law firm Paul Weiss over his own ties to Epstein.
Meanwhile, Casey Wasserman, a leading Hollywood talent agent, said he would sell his business after communications with Maxwell were made public. He cited the impact of “past personal mistakes” and told staff he felt he had “become a distraction” to the company’s work.
