Cornell Severs Ties with NYC’s Ex-COVID Health Czar Amid Pandemic Sex Party Scandal

Weill Cornell Medicine has severed ties with former New York City senior health advisor Jay Varma after it was revealed that he hosted drug-fueled sex parties while publicly enforcing strict COVID-19 social distancing guidelines. Varma, who was instrumental in shaping the city's pandemic response, is now facing intense scrutiny after videos emerged showing his blatant disregard for the very policies he helped implement.

Varma’s profile and contact information were swiftly removed from Cornell’s website following the scandal. A Weill Cornell Medicine spokesperson confirmed that Varma, who was employed from September 2021 to August 2023 and continued as an unpaid advisor, is no longer associated with the institution. “We were not aware of the alleged unethical behavior that occurred prior to his employment with us,” the spokesperson stated, emphasizing that the institution upheld strict COVID safety regulations throughout the pandemic.

The controversy first came to light when conservative podcaster Steven Crowder released footage of Varma boasting about hosting illegal gatherings in the height of the pandemic. Recorded between July 27 and August 14, the videos reveal Varma discussing how he violated the very rules he was championing. In one clip, Varma acknowledges, “I had to be kind of sneaky about it … because I was running the entire COVID response in the city,” detailing how he hosted orgies and underground dance parties where attendees used MDMA (molly).

Key revelations from the recordings include:

• Varma admitting to attending underground parties while leading New York City's COVID response.

• He openly discussed using drugs like molly at these gatherings, despite his public stance on maintaining social distancing.

• Varma’s acknowledgment of the risk he faced being recognized while attending these events.

The exposure of Varma’s private activities has sparked outrage. The New York City Council Common-Sense Caucus called for a hearing to address what it described as Varma’s "blatant hypocrisy" and "recklessness." The caucus noted, “The public deserves answers,” calling for accountability from those who enforced draconian restrictions while violating them in secret.

While Varma has since admitted to the truth of the recordings, stating that he takes responsibility for his poor judgment, the damage to his credibility—and by extension, public trust—may be irreparable.

This scandal raises broader concerns about the double standards applied by many public officials during the pandemic. Varma’s case is just one example of the hypocrisy that has fueled frustration among Americans who were forced to comply with stringent lockdowns while leaders privately broke the very rules they imposed.

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