Dr. Jay Varma, a senior public health adviser who guided New York City through much of the COVID-19 pandemic, has admitted to attending sex parties during the city’s lockdown, openly violating the very guidelines he helped enforce.
Varma, who served as the top health official to then-Mayor Bill de Blasio from April 2020 to May 2021, is now facing public scrutiny for his actions, which were revealed in a series of recordings released by conservative podcaster Steven Crowder.
Flouting the rules he helped shape
In the recordings, Varma, an epidemiologist, can be heard discussing his participation in parties during the pandemic. He recounts attending a “dance party” beneath a Wall Street bank while under the influence of MDMA, with nearly 200 people in attendance, as well as hosting another gathering at a hotel with his wife and several others.
All of this took place while he publicly supported strict COVID-19 measures, such as vaccine and mask mandates, social distancing rules, and limits on gathering sizes. “The only way I could do this job for the city was if I had some way to blow off steam every now and then,” Varma said in one recording, acknowledging the contradiction between his actions and his public health role.
Acknowledging the hypocrisy
In a montage of the video clips, Varma admits the hypocrisy of his behaviour, saying, “I did all this deviant sexual stuff while I was on TV,” referring to his regular appearances as the city’s COVID czar. When questioned by others about whether he was “afraid” or “embarrassed” about his behavior, Varma expressed no regret. “No, actually I love being my authentic self,” he stated. Varma’s statements, captured in the summer of 2024, have sparked widespread outrage, with many questioning the integrity of the city’s pandemic response leadership.
Varma’s response to the allegations
When approached by ABC 7, Varma did not deny the claims but clarified the context of the recordings. He confirmed attending two gatherings between August 2020 and May 2021, but accused the recordings of being “spliced, diced, and taken out of context.” In a statement to the outlet, Varma took responsibility for his actions but argued that he had been unfairly targeted by an extremist group. “Unfortunately, I was targeted by an operative for an extremist right-wing organization determined to malign public health officials and take down the public health system in America,” Varma said, referring to Crowder’s podcast, which has previously been suspended from YouTube for hate speech. Varma added, “I take responsibility for not using the best judgment at the time.”
Calls for investigation
In response to the revelations, New York City Council member Robert Holden has called for a formal investigation. In a letter to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and Interim Commissioner Thomas Donlon, Holden demanded a probe into the allegations, urging that Varma be held to the “same legal standards as every other resident of this City.”
“Thousands of New Yorkers lost their lives, families were separated, businesses closed, and residents faced enormous mental and emotional strain,” Holden wrote. “The idea that a public official in charge of the City’s COVID-19 response was participating in illegal gatherings while imposing harsh restrictions on others is not only hypocritical but a violation of the public trust.” The Independent has reached out to the Manhattan DA’s office for comment on the matter.
Varma’s post-pandemic career
Since leaving his role in New York City, Varma has held several prestigious positions. He became a professor of population health sciences at Weill Cornell Medical College from 2021 through 2023 and was listed as part of the “Courtesy” faculty. However, following the release of the recordings, his bio was removed from the Weill Cornell website. A university representative confirmed to The Independent that Varma is no longer listed in their faculty system.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Varma now serves as the executive vice president and chief medical officer at SIGA Technologies, a pharmaceutical company, and holds a part-time role as chief medical advisor at Kroll, a business consulting firm. As the scandal continues to unfold, it remains unclear how these revelations will impact Varma’s professional standing and legacy as a public health official.