Famed billionaire Thomas H. Lee’s family announced Thursday that the leveraged-buyout pioneer has died at 78, with The New York Post reporting that the financier was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at his Manhattan office.
Lee’s family confirmed the man’s death in a statement, saying that “while the world knew him as one of the pioneers in the private-equity business and a successful businessman, we knew him as a devoted husband, father, grandfather sibling, friend and philanthropist who always put others’ needs before his own.”
While the statement said nothing about the circumstances surrounding Lee’s death, the Post cited unnamed police sources as saying that the businessman had fatally shot himself at his office.
Lee, whom Forbes magazine listed as having a $2B net worth, started Thomas Lee Partners in 1974, but parted ways with the firm in 2005.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
