Billionaire Thomas Pritzker announced his immediate retirement as the Hyatt Hotels chairman after his name surfaced in the latest files released by the US Department of Justice.
The decision follows the release of a new tranche of documents that detail his long-term association with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. According to the recently released files, Pritzker was in regular contact with Epstein in the years after the financier’s 2008 plea deal on sex crime charges.
The 75-year-old who has served as executive chairman at the international hotel chain since 2004, has decided to step down after discussions with fellow board members.
In this connection, he said, “My job and responsibility are 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.” further added.
Pritzker is the latest prominent figure to face repercussions following the release of thousands of pages of documents revealing the depth of Epstein’s global network of business, political and exclusive elites. His statement was accompanied by a letter to the board in which Pritzker noted that he will turn 76 years old and emphasized that the company is in a “strong and sustainable position” poised to thrive.
The board named Mark Hoplamazian, Hyatt’s president and chief executive to take over Pritzker as chairman. Hoplamazian confirms his decision “reflects his stewardship and strong commitment to Hyatt” over decades of service, as reported by the BBC.
The disclosure of the Epstein files has revealed the financier’s ties to prominent figures in politics, business and academia, many of whom now face investigation. Goldman Sachs chief legal counsel Kathryn Ruemmler resigned following the latest tranche of Epstein documents, which showed she had a close relationship with the financier.
Several prominent figures have stepped down from their respective roles after being linked to Epstein’s case. For example, Mandelson was removed from his role in September 2025 after UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government said new information had come to light revealing the deeper nature of his longstanding ties with Epstein.
Board member Richard Tuttle praised Pritzker for his incredible work and in a press release, called him “instrumental in determining the Chicago’s based company’s strategy.
