An American CEO of a Singapore-based bitcoin exchange firm has been found dead in what media reports are calling a suicide.
The lifeless body of Autumn Radtke, 28, was discovered last week in her Singapore apartment.
"I was informed by the Singapore police about her death," Douglas Abrams, director and non-executive chairman of First Meta, told The Wall Street Journal. "The cause of death is still under investigation."
Police say toxicology reports are pending.
The news comes on the immediate heels of a stunning blow dealt to the virtual currency industry by the meltdown of the world’s biggest exchange of bitcoins.
On Feb. 24, the Tokyo-based Mt. Gox bitcoin exchange went offline amid news that it had been the victim of a huge cyber-robbery that cost the company, at a minimum, 744,408 bitcoins worth about $365 million.
Later in the week Mark Karpeles, the CEO of Mt. Gox, admitted that almost all of the bitcoins in the company's exchange were gone. Some 850,000 bitcoins worth nearly half a billion dollars were taken, and the company filed for bankruptcy on Feb. 28.
The hacking of the company’s operations had been going on undetected for as long as two full years and gravely marred the reputation of virtual exchanges as valid currency alternatives.
"Gox is the worst-run business in the history of the world," Roger Ver, a bitcoin advocate, told Wired.com after news of the theft came out.
A group of bitcoin businesses released a statement about the theft, saying:
"This tragic violation of the trust of users of Mt. Gox was the result of one company’s abhorrent actions and does not reflect the resilience or value of bitcoin and the digital currency industry. There are hundreds of trustworthy and responsible companies involved in bitcoin. These companies will continue to build the future of money by making bitcoin more secure and easy to use for consumers and merchants."
Just days later, Radtke was found dead in Singapore.
The New York Post notes that "Radtke’s death brings the number of questionable financial sector deaths this year to eight."
The Post reports that "Radtke formerly worked with Apple and other Silicon Valley tech firms on developing digital payment systems."
The website techinasia.com reported that the young entrepreneur had also worked for a company "that connected gamers through communication tools. Prior to that, she was the co-founder of Geodelic, a California-based startup that provided location-based services on smartphones."
The bitcoin exchange company Radtke was helping to start posted its condolences on its website:
"The First Meta team is shocked and saddened by the tragic loss of our friend and CEO Autumn Radtke. Our deepest condolences go out to her family, friends and loved ones. Autumn was an inspiration to all of us, and she will be sorely missed."
The post was titled "Deepest Condolences." The next post listed beneath it in the "Recent Posts" menu for the fledgling company read: "Discount Sales for Bitcoin Black Friday!"
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