Former Cambridge professor found dead following plagiarism scandal

Jason Arday, a former University of Cambridge professor and the youngest Black academic in the institution’s history, was found dead at a south London address on Friday. The Metropolitan Police confirmed that Arday, 41, was discovered unresponsive at the location and pronounced dead at the scene, describing the death as unexpected.

The discovery comes nine days after Arday resigned from his position as a professor and fellow at Jesus College. His departure followed a series of investigative articles questioning his academic work and personal life, alongside allegations that he had plagiarised parts of his doctoral thesis.

Arday had previously admitted to making errors in his academic work but strongly denied being an "academic fraud". He stated he was being wrongly portrayed as a liar and a fantasist, maintaining that the allegations did not reflect the truth of his professional conduct.

In response to the controversy, the University of Cambridge announced last week that it would continue its investigation into Arday’s appointment. The Vice-Chancellor has since mourned the death of the former professor, marking a somber conclusion to a high-profile institutional dispute.

Arday’s memoir, "Great and Unfortunate Things", was recently released in the United States and is scheduled for publication in the United Kingdom later this month. The book details his childhood struggles with autism and his subsequent career success. While the memoir has attracted scrutiny, the British publisher has insisted that no allegations of plagiarism have been made regarding the work.

The specific cause of Arday’s death has not been publicly confirmed by authorities. As the university’s investigation into his appointment remains ongoing, further details regarding the circumstances of his death and the academic findings are expected to emerge.