--- alias: - Thomas J. Pritzker - Thomas Pritzker born: 1950-06-06 category: Crime & Abuse Networks created: 2026-06-18 location: Chicago, Illinois (family base) relations: - end: 2026-02-17 fn: 1 role: executive chairman start: 2004 type: head_of with: '[[Hyatt Hotels Corporation]]' - fn: 5 role: cousin type: relative_of with: '[[J.B. Pritzker]]' - fn: 8 role: chairman of the board of trustees, succeeding Sam Nunn start: 2015-11 type: head_of with: '[[Center for Strategic and International Studies]]' - fn: 8 type: member_of with: '[[Aspen Strategy Group]]' summary: Thomas J. Pritzker is the Hyatt heir whom Jeffrey Epstein's calendar scheduled for 28 meetings from 2013 to 2018, and who retired as Hyatt's executive chairman in February 2026. tags: - Person - TomPritzker - Hyatt - JeffreyEpstein - SecretSociety - Billionaire updated: 2026-09-25 --- Thomas J. Pritzker (born June 6, 1950) is an American billionaire businessman, the executive chairman of Hyatt Hotels Corporation for more than twenty years until February 17, 2026, and the chairman of the broader Pritzker family business empire. The Pritzker family's holdings span hotels (Hyatt), industrial manufacturing (Marmon Group/Trinity Industries), finance, and the philanthropic Pritzker Foundation, and the family's cumulative wealth places it among the wealthiest American business dynasties. Pritzker's correspondence with [Jeffrey Epstein](/people/jeffrey-epstein/) in 2011, documented in the [EFTA](/concepts/epstein-files-transparency-act/) releases as document EFTA02407727, used the phrase "secret society," establishing a second documented "secret society" channel through Epstein independent of the [Peter Thiel](/people/peter-thiel/) correspondence. Epstein's calendar scheduled 28 meetings with Pritzker between 2013 and 2018, and after the 2025 and 2026 releases of their correspondence Pritzker retired from Hyatt, saying he had "exercised terrible judgment."[^1][^2][^3][^4][^5] ### The Pritzker Family and the Hyatt Empire The Pritzker family built its wealth across the twentieth century through a diversified holding structure anchored by Hyatt (founded by Pritzker's father Donald and uncle Jay in 1957), the Marmon Group industrial conglomerate, the Superior Bank (which failed in 2001 in an early instance of the securitization-driven banking collapses), and a range of venture and private-equity holdings. Thomas Pritzker succeeded his father and uncle as the principal executive of the family's business operations and took Hyatt public in 2009.[^1] The Pritzker family's philanthropic arm, the Pritzker Foundation, has funded the Pritzker School of Medicine at the University of Chicago, the Pritzker Military Museum & Library, and a range of cultural and educational institutions in [Chicago](/places/chicago/) and nationally. J.B. Pritzker, Thomas's cousin, is the current Governor of Illinois and a prominent [Democratic](/organizations/democratic-party/) political figure. The family's political and philanthropic footprint spans both parties and multiple institutional sectors.[^1] ### The Epstein Correspondence and the "Secret Society" Email The EFTA releases include document EFTA02407727, a 2011 correspondence between Pritzker and Jeffrey Epstein in which Pritzker used the phrase "secret society." Epstein's reply, per the document, was "Remind me next month." The document is indexed in the [Epstein file](/concepts/epstein-files/) aggregators and cited in the secondary reporting on the Epstein-Pritzker relationship. The correspondence is dated 2011, three years after Epstein's 2008 federal [non-prosecution agreement](/events/epstein-non-prosecution-agreement/).[^2][^3] The Pritzker "secret society" email runs parallel to the Thiel-Epstein "secret society idea" correspondence (documented in EFTA01738574, dated February 2016). The two are independent channels: the Thiel correspondence records Epstein reporting that Thiel "LOVED the secret socieity [sic] idea," and the Pritzker correspondence records Pritzker himself using the phrase. Whether the two channels refer to the same "secret society" concept or to separate projects is not established in the primary documents. The 2011 Pritzker email predates the 2016 Thiel email by five years.[^2][^6] ### The Pritzker-Epstein Relationship The *[Wall Street Journal](/organizations/the-wall-street-journal/)* reported in 2023, on the basis of the Epstein calendars, that Pritzker was among the business figures who met with Epstein repeatedly in the post-2008-conviction period. Pritzker's meetings with Epstein included discussions that Pritzker's representatives framed as relating to philanthropic and business matters. The *Wall Street Journal* reporting placed Pritzker alongside [William Burns](/people/william-burns/), [Noam Chomsky](/people/noam-chomsky/), and the former Goldman Sachs lawyer [Kathryn Ruemmler](/people/kathryn-ruemmler/) in the group of establishment figures whose Epstein meetings were documented in the calendars.[^3] The Pritzker-Epstein relationship is the parallel establishment channel to the Thiel-Epstein relationship. Both channels run through Epstein in the post-2008-conviction period, both involve "secret society" language, and both connect Epstein to principals of major business and institutional networks (the Pritzker hotel-and-finance empire and the Thiel technology-and-defense empire respectively). The question of whether the two channels intersect, beyond the shared Epstein intermediary, is not documented in the primary sources currently available.[^2][^3][^6] ### The 2025 Email Release The [House Oversight Committee](/organizations/house-committee-on-oversight-and-government-reform/)'s November 2025 release of documents from Epstein's estate showed that Epstein's calendar scheduled Pritzker for 28 meetings between 2013 and 2018.[^4] The two exchanged friendly emails on at least five occasions, including one about "the Chicago way of politics."[^7] In August 2016 Pritzker wrote, "Looking for a time to catch up in NY," and Epstein replied, "I'm in santa fe for the next two weeks come visit."[^4] Epstein offered Pritzker's time to others. Writing to a third party whom he offered to introduce to Pritzker, he described Pritzker as "like family." He asked another contact whether they had "input or questions" for an event Pritzker was chairing in [China](/places/china/), and told a correspondent that "tom has GREAT relations in China."[^4] The [Justice Department](/organizations/department-of-justice/)'s early 2026 releases added further emails between the two arranging dinners and invitations to events.[^5] ### CSIS, the Aspen Strategy Group, and Churkin In November 2015 Pritzker became chairman of the board of trustees of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, succeeding the former senator Sam Nunn, after eight years on its board and executive committee. He was also a member of the Aspen Strategy Group.[^8] On the morning of August 8, 2016, Epstein wrote to Pritzker, "glenn?" Pritzker answered that he was "working on a date" and had "Just finished presentation on leadership to grand pooh baahs of Aspen Strategy Group. Take a look at members it will make you laugh." Epstein replied, "who attends." That evening Pritzker wrote: "You have to be a bit of a wonk to know some of the names, but Nye, Scowcroft and Nick Burns run it (Scowcroft being replaced by Condi). Members include Patraeus, Albright, Slaughter, Donalon (Obama NSA), Hadley (Bush NSA), Sullivan (NSA Hillary), Bill Burns (State #2), Kurt Campbell, Hoss Carwright (#2 Jt Chiefs), Harman, Ignatius, Sanger, Nunn, Reed, Sawers ([MI6](/organizations/mi6/)), Sherman (iran deal), Work (current #2 DoD). It seems to now be taking on an aura. Looking for a time to come catch up in NY."[^9] The names correspond to the co-chairs Joseph Nye, [Brent Scowcroft](/people/brent-scowcroft/) and Nicholas Burns, Scowcroft's successor Condoleezza Rice, and the members David Petraeus, Madeleine Albright, Anne-Marie Slaughter, Tom Donilon, Stephen Hadley, Jake Sullivan, William Burns, Kurt Campbell, James Cartwright, Jane Harman, David Ignatius, David Sanger, Nunn, Jack Reed, John Sawers, Wendy Sherman and Robert Work. Four weeks later, on September 6, 2016, Epstein wrote by iMessage to [Vitaly Churkin](/people/vitaly-churkin/), Russia's ambassador to the [United Nations](/organizations/united-nations/): "My very close friend Tom Pritzker . Hyatt hotels and chairman of CSI is in town . Didn't know if you had any interest." Churkin replied, "Could do tomorrow 6pm," and thanked Epstein "for time with max," his son Maxim. The next morning Epstein wrote, "Re Pritzker -my schedule has gotten too crowded maybe 18 th or 19th if you are in town." Churkin answered, "18 might work," and Epstein added, "great. also thorbjorn jagland will be staying with me," a reference to [Thorbjørn Jagland](/people/thorbjørn-jagland/), then secretary general of the Council of Europe.[^10] Eight days earlier, on August 29, 2016, Churkin had lunched at Epstein's house with [Ehud Barak](/people/ehud-barak/) and [Tom Barrack](/people/tom-barrack/).[^11] ### Retirement From Hyatt On February 17, 2026, Pritzker, then 75, retired as executive chairman of Hyatt with immediate effect and said he would not stand for re-election to its board. In a prepared statement he said he deeply regretted his association with Epstein and [Ghislaine Maxwell](/people/ghislaine-maxwell/): "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."[^5] Hyatt's chief executive, Mark Hoplamazian, succeeded him as chairman. His retirement came days after Kathryn Ruemmler announced her resignation as general counsel of [Goldman Sachs](/organizations/goldman-sachs/) and after [DP World](/organizations/dp-world/) replaced its chairman over his Epstein ties.[^5] Pritzker has not been accused of any crime, and no investigation of him has been reported. [^1]: Hyatt Hotels Corporation, "Board of Directors: Thomas J. Pritzker," documenting his role as executive chairman (assumed 2004), the November 2009 IPO, and his Marmon Holdings chairmanship. https://investors.hyatt.com/governance/board-of-directors/ [^2]: EFTA02407727, Epstein Files Transparency Act release. The 2011 Pritzker-Epstein correspondence using the phrase "secret society," with Epstein's reply "Remind me next month." Documented in the Epstein file aggregators. [^3]: "Jeffrey Epstein's Private Calendar" series, *Wall Street Journal,* 2023, documenting the Pritzker-Epstein meetings from the Epstein calendars. [^4]: Durkee, Alison. "Jeffrey Epstein And Thomas Pritzker: What Epstein Emails Say About Their Friendship." *Forbes,* November 19, 2025. https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2025/11/19/epstein-emails-spotlight-billionaire-thomas-pritzkers-relationship-with-financier-like-family/ [^5]: Chapman, Michelle. "Thomas Pritzker steps down from Hyatt board, saying he deeply regrets association with Epstein." Associated Press via *PBS NewsHour,* February 17, 2026. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/thomas-pritzker-steps-down-from-hyatt-board-saying-he-deeply-regrets-association-with-epstein [^6]: For the parallel Thiel-Epstein "secret society idea" correspondence, see EFTA01738574 (February 6, 2016) and the Peter Thiel and [[Thiel Influence Network]] pages. [^7]: *Chicago Sun-Times,* November 19, 2025, on the Epstein emails with Thomas Pritzker. https://chicago.suntimes.com/washington/2025/11/19/jeffrey-epstein-thomas-pritzker-emails-deeper-ties-jb-pritzker-cousin [^8]: Center for Strategic and International Studies, "CSIS Announces Thomas J. Pritzker Appointed Chairman of CSIS Board of Trustees," 2015; and CSIS, "Thomas J. Pritzker," biography. https://www.csis.org/news/csis-announces-thomas-j-pritzker-appointed-chairman-csis-board-trustees ; https://www.csis.org/people/thomas-j-pritzker [^9]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA01783338, DataSet 10, email chain between Tom Pritzker and Jeffrey Epstein, August 8, 2016. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01783338.pdf [^10]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA01619438, DataSet 10, iMessage log between Jeffrey Epstein and Vitaly Churkin, May 23 to September 7, 2016 (entries of September 6 and 7, 2016). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01619438.pdf [^11]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA02044775, DataSet 10, email from Lesley Groff, "Churkin to join lunch tomorrow as well," August 28, 2016; and EFTA02045038, DataSet 10, calendar alert "LUNCH w/Ehud Barak, Tom Barrack and Vitaly Chrukin," August 29, 2016. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA02044775.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA02045038.pdf