Jason Arday, ex-Cambridge professor at centre of plagiarism scandal, found dead

Academic Jason Arday, who resigned from the University of Cambridge amid a plagiarism scandal that included allegations of racism, was discovered dead on Friday afternoon in south London, according to the Metropolitan Police Service. The 41-year-old was found unresponsive at an address in the Battersea neighborhood and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Cambridge University's Vice-Chancellor, Deborah Prentice, expressed deep sorrow over the loss and extended condolences to Arday's family and friends. The plagiarism allegations against Arday, who was the youngest black professor at Cambridge in 2023, emerged after academics and media reports accused him of copying sections of his doctoral thesis.

Arday resigned from his professorship and position as a fellow at Jesus College on August 5, stating that it was the only way to end a "difficult period," but insisted his decision should not be mistaken for an admission of guilt. The police stated that the death was being treated as unexpected and not suspicious, and the case would be investigated by officers from the Metropolitan Police's Central South Command Unit.