Tom Pritzker exits as Hyatt Hotels Corporation Chair after DOJ Files Tie him to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell

The New York Times, BBC, CNN, the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, and CNBC contributed to this report.

Billionaire Tom Pritzker said Monday he’s stepping down as executive chairman of Hyatt and won’t run for re-election to the board after newly released Justice Department files showed ongoing contact between him and Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. The resignation is effective immediately.

In a terse public statement, he called the ties “a serious mistake” and said he “exercised terrible judgment in maintaining contact” with the disgraced pair. He added that protecting the company factored into his decision and expressed regret for not distancing himself sooner.

Pritzker, who had been executive chairman since 2004, flagged that he plans to shift his focus to a science foundation he started. Hyatt’s board moved quickly: CEO Mark Hoplamazian will take over as chair right away.

The newly released documents include emails that show Pritzker staying in touch with Epstein after the financier’s controversial 2008 plea deal — exchanges that, for some, underline how wide Epstein’s circle ran. One 2018 message even has Epstein asking Pritzker to help arrange travel for a woman described as his girlfriend; Pritzker replied with a smiley and, “May the Force be with you.” (Being named in the files isn’t the same as being accused of a crime, and appearances in the documents don’t by themselves prove wrongdoing.)

This is the latest fallout from the document dump that has prompted scrutiny and resignations across business and cultural elites. In announcing his retirement, Pritzker said protecting the company’s reputation and ensuring “good stewardship” were top priorities — language that also signals how corporate boards react fast when a reputational storm brews.

Hyatt praised Pritzker’s long service and thanked him for shaping the company’s strategy. For now, the story is less about legal consequences than reputational damage and corporate housekeeping: the board has closed the leadership gap, and Pritzker is out — at least from Hyatt’s helm — as questions from the public and shareholders linger.