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Arday news
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Jason Arday, 41, former Cambridge professor, found dead in London on Aug 14. His death is not believed suspicious, police say.
Background
Jason Arday, who became Cambridge's youngest Black professor in 2023, resigned on Aug 5 amid plagiarism allegations and questions about his academic work. He had denied the accusations, saying he resigned to 'reclaim some peace.' His death comes days after the release of his memoir and amid an ongoing university investigation.
How it unfolded
- Jul 24, 2026The Times of London published an analysis of Arday's 2015 PhD thesis, highlighting passages 'identical or near-identical' to an earlier paper.
- Aug 5, 2026Arday resigned from Cambridge after the university announced an investigation into his academic qualifications and honorary appointments.
- Aug 11, 2026Arday's memoir, 'Great and Unfortunate Things,' was released in the US.
- Aug 14, 2026Arday was found unresponsive at an address in Battersea, London, and pronounced dead at the scene. Police said his death is being treated as unexpected but not believed suspicious.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Cambridge Vice-Chancellor Deborah Prentice said the university was 'desperately saddened' and expressed sympathies to Arday's family.
- Family
- Arday's family said they were 'in shock' and described him as 'a gentle man' subjected to a 'campaign of sustained abuse.'
- Police
- Metropolitan Police said the death is 'unexpected, but is not believed to be suspicious' and is under investigation.
Still unverified
Allegations of plagiarism and inconsistencies in Arday's academic work, which he denied, remain unproven. Claims about his charity fundraising and personal life have been questioned by British media.