Billionaire financier Thomas H. Lee has been found dead in his New York office following an apparent suicide.
Mr Lee, 78, was reportedly discovered with a self-inflicted gunshot wound after police were called to his office at 767 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, New York City, on Thursday morning.
Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene, according to the New York Post, and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is working to confirm the official cause of death.
Michael Sitrick, a Lee family friend and spokesperson, said in a statement that the family's "hearts are broken" at the loss.
“The family is extremely saddened by Tom’s death. 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,” he said.
“Our hearts are broken. We ask that our privacy be respected and that we be allowed to grieve.”
Mr Lee, a Harvard graduate, founded Thomas H. Lee Partners, L.P. in 1974, serving as the chairman and CEO of the company.
He was known for being one of the first financiers to employ a 'leveraged buyout' strategy, whereby you purchase companies with money borrowed against the business being bought.
In 1992, he bought tea and juice brand Snapple before selling it two years later for $1.7 billion (£1.41 billion) - 32 times the purchase price.
Mr Lee was also heavily involved in philanthropy, particularly within the arts and education.
In 1996 he donated $22 million (£18.3 million) to his alma mater Harvard University, which amounted to one of the university's largest-ever gifts from a living alumnus.
“I’ve been lucky to make some money. I’m more than happy to give some of it back," he said at the time of the donation.
In 2014 he received the UJA-Federation’s award for his lifetime of philanthropy.
Mr Lee was an avid art collector and close friend of former US president Bill Clinton and his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Following Hillary's unsuccessful presidential campaign in 2008, the Clintons reportedly stayed at Mr Lee's beachfront mansion in East Hampton, New York, while they kept out of the public eye.
Mr Lee leaves behind his wife of 27 years, Ann Tennenbaum, and his children Jesse, Zach, Nathan, Robbie, and Rosalie, as well as two grandchildren.
*If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out for help. For the UK: The Samaritans operate a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123. Alternatively, you can email jo@samaritans.org or visit their site to find your local branch.
For the US: Contact the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling 988, call the National Suicide Prevention hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or reach out to the Crisis Text Line by texting ‘Home’ to 741741 anytime.
