Topline
Emails released last week from the estate of Jeffrey Epstein show he had a close friendship with billionaire hotel magnate Thomas Pritzker—describing the two as being “like family”—raising scrutiny on Pritzker as other close Epstein associates like economist Larry Summers face consequences for emails revealing their ties to the late financier.
Thomas Pritzker, chairman of Global Hyatt Corporation, speaks during a panel discussion on November 19, 2008 in Chicago, Illinois.
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Key Facts
The House Oversight Committee released more than 20,000 emails and other documents from Epstein’s estate, which include emails between Pritzker and Epstein and messages in which the late financier references Pritzker.
Pritzker is the executive chairman of hotel chain Hyatt and part of the broader wealthy Pritzker family—which also includes Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker—and had previously been linked to Epstein, most notably being named by victim Virginia Giuffre as one of the men she was allegedly forced to have sex with. (Pritzker “vehemently denies” that accusation.)
Epstein referred to Pritzker as being “like family” in a message to an unnamed recipient, offering to get them a meeting with the billionaire, while other messages show Epstein routinely making plans with Pritzker or referencing seeing him to other people.
In another email Epstein tells Pritzker, “nice to see you , please come more often,” with Pritzker responding, “Always fun.”
The pair’s friendship continued until at least shortly before Epstein’s arrest in 2019, after public reports had formally accused the financier of wide-scale sexual abuse: In a February 2019 email responding to Epstein asking him for any “news” in his life, Pritzker responded, “You are news! I am quiet.”
A spokesperson for Pritzker declined to comment on the emails, but he has previously denied involvement in Epstein’s sex-trafficking operation, with a Pritzker Organization spokesperson saying in 2024 that allegations against the billionaire are “false” and Pritzker “vehemently denies” any wrongdoing.
Forbes Valuation
Forbes estimates Pritzker’s net worth at $6 billion as of Wednesday afternoon.