Former Cambridge professor Jason Arday found dead weeks after plagiarism allegations
Former Cambridge University professor Jason Arday has been found dead at an address in south London.
Dr Arday, 41, was discovered “unresponsive” at a property in Battersea on Friday afternoon.
Shortly after the married father-of-two was pronounced dead at the scene, as reported first by The Telegraph.
The Metropolitan Police said officers were called by the London Ambulance Service at 3.12pm.
A spokesperson for the force said: “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.”
It comes after a turbulent few weeks for Dr Arday, who was at the centre of a high-profile dispute having been accused of plagiarising from other students for his PhD thesis.
On August 5, Dr Arday resigned as professor of sociology of education at the University of Cambridge.
Last week, Cambridge launched an investigation into Dr Arday’s appointment and tenure at the university.
Dr Arday, who became the university’s youngest black professor in 2023, also came under fire after critics accused him of stealing research.
An initial investigation into the professor’s “appointment and tenure” was launched last week.
Dr Arday resigned just a few hours after the university announced the investigation, citing the “unrelenting level of public scrutiny”.
Last week, he admitted to a series of errors in his work and quit his role as professor, though denied the claims against him.
Dr Arday went on to insist he is not a “liar and fantasist” after a remarkable list of personal achievements were also called into question.
These include running 600 miles in six days and raising millions of pounds for charity.
He also claimed to have appeared in the TV series Seven Up, despite it broadcasting two decades before he was born.
He told The Times: “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.”
Analysis of Dr Arday’s PhD thesis reportedly showed 180 passages were a match or near-match for another student.
Since the allegations were made, Dr Arday has said this was a result of his autism, meaning he absorbs information through mimicry.
He admitted that his outstanding feat of running 600 miles in six days was also wrong and it had taken 12 days.
Dr Arday also said the £5.5million he has raised for charity was not done alone but instead as part of a syndicate of around 100 others.
Jesus College said previously that it was launching its own process in relation to the allegation.
An investigation at Liverpool John Moores University cleared Prof Arday of wrongdoing.
Dr Arday said in his open resignation letter that the “only way to bring this chapter to an end is to step away”.
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