Nathan Cofnas, the academic whose allegations helped ignite the plagiarism firestorm surrounding the late Professor Jason Arday, has been suspended by Ghent University in Belgium, where he works as a postdoctoral researcher.
Ghent University confirmed that Cofnas had been formally notified of a preliminary disciplinary investigation. University leaders said the institution strongly supports academic freedom and open debate, even when opinions are controversial. However, they stressed that such freedom is “not unlimited” and must be exercised responsibly, adding that the university opposes discrimination, hatred and racism. Cofnas said publicly that he expected to be dismissed, although the university has not announced a final decision.
Cofnas describes himself as a “race realist.” In previous writings, he argued that, under what he considered a true meritocracy, Black people would disappear from most prominent positions outside sports and entertainment, and that the number of Black professors at Harvard would approach zero. Critics have described these views as racist. Emmanuel College, a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, terminated his fellowship in 2024, saying his views conflicted with its values.
Cofnas later alleged that he had identified plagiarism in Professor Arday’s academic work, helping to trigger intense public and media scrutiny. Arday denied plagiarism, although he acknowledged making some mistakes during his doctoral work. Liverpool John Moores University had previously cleared him, while Cambridge subsequently opened another investigation after receiving additional information. Arday resigned from Cambridge on 5 August 2026, saying the relentless allegations and public commentary had taken a profound toll on him.
Professor Arday was subsequently found dead at his home in Battersea, south London. Police described his death as unexpected but not suspicious. His cause of death has not been publicly disclosed. His family said that years of sustained abuse and what they described as a campaign of misinformation had become overwhelming for him.