Former Cambridge professor Dr. James Arday, 41, was discovered “unresponsive” at a property in Battersea, south London, Friday after his plagiarism scandal made international headlines.
Former Cambridge Professor James Arday – screengrab
Dr. Jason Arday, the former University of Cambridge professor at the center of a high-profile plagiarism scandal, was found dead at a property in Battersea, south London, on Friday afternoon. He was 41.
Dr. Arday became Cambridge’s youngest ever black professor in 2023 at the age of 37. He resigned on August 5th after the university launched an investigation into his appointment and tenure, citing the “unrelenting level of public scrutiny.”
The Metropolitan Police said officers were called by the London Ambulance Service at 3.12pm on Friday. The married father-of-two was pronounced dead at the scene. Police say his death is being treated as unexpected but is not believed to be suspicious. A file will be prepared for the coroner.
His family said they are “in shock to have lost this amazing father, partner, brother, uncle and son.” In a statement issued through his publisher Simon & Schuster UK, they paid tribute to him as an “amazing” and “gentle man” and said he had been subjected to “sustained abuse” since becoming the institution’s youngest black professor.
The Sun reported on the Met Police statement:
“Sadly, a 41-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene. His next-of-kin have been informed and are being supported by officers. At this time his death is being treated as unexpected, but is not believed to be suspicious. The case is being investigated by officers from the Met’s Central South Command Unit. A file will be prepared for the coroner.”
Dr. Arday’s death comes after a turbulent few weeks. He was accused of plagiarizing from other students in his PhD thesis. Analysis of the thesis reportedly showed 180 passages were a match or near-match for another student’s work. Dr. Arday said this was a result of his autism, which he said means he absorbs information through mimicry.
Critics also called a remarkable list of personal achievements into question. Dr. Arday admitted his claimed feat of running 600 miles in six days was wrong — it took 12 days. He also said the £5.5 million he claimed to have raised for charity was not raised alone but as part of a syndicate of around 100 others. He had also claimed to have appeared in the TV series Seven Up, despite it broadcasting two decades before he was born.
Dr. Arday admitted to a series of errors in his work but denied the claims against him and insisted he was not a “liar and fantasist.”
In an interview with The Times, reported by The Sun, Dr. Arday said:
“I am accountable for the mistakes I’ve made. I hold myself accountable and other people should hold me accountable. I think the cruelty that I’ve experienced and the positioning of me as this kind of liar and fantasist is totally unacceptable.”
An investigation at Liverpool John Moores University cleared him of wrongdoing. Jesus College said previously that it was launching its own process in relation to the allegation. Cambridge launched its investigation into his appointment and tenure last week — Dr. Arday resigned just hours after the university announced it.
In his open resignation letter, Dr. Arday said the “only way to bring this chapter to an end is to step away.”
Cambridge Vice-Chancellor Professor Deborah Prentice said she was “desperately saddened” by his death. Education Secretary Lucy Powell said on X that she was “deeply shocked and saddened” and offered her “heartfelt” condolences to his friends and family.
James leaves behind a wife and two children.
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