Topline
The FBI is investigating the death of billionaire Jim Irsay, the owner of the Indianapolis Colts who died last May, the Washington Post reported citing a grand jury subpoena, and looking into a doctor who reportedly treated him before his death with pain medicine and ketamine.
Federal investigators are examining Irsay’s death and a doctor who treated him with pain medication and ketamine, according to a Washington Post report.
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Key Facts
Federal investigators are examining Irsay’s drug use and his “relationship with Dr. Harry Haroutunian,” a California-based addiction doctor, the Post reported citing a federal grand jury subpoena and people familiar with the investigation.
Irsay, who struggled with addiction years earlier, which led to a 2014 arrest for drunk driving and drug possession, died “peacefully in his sleep” last May at age 65, his family said in a statement at the time.
Months after his death, the Washington Post reported Irsay had relapsed and overdosed multiple times in the last five years, and was being treated by Haroutunian, who allegedly prescribed him opioids and ketamine.
A representative for Irsay’s family and the Colts did not immediately respond to a request for comment, while a legal officer for the team told the Post subpoenas were not issued “to me, the Colts or any of our current employees.”
Haroutunian’s office also did not respond to a request for comment from Forbes.
Key Background
Before his death, Irsay was outspoken about his struggles with substance abuse. In 2020, he started Kicking the Stigma, a nonprofit dedicated to addressing the mental health crisis in Indiana, which provides resources for people with substance abuse and addiction. However, reports indicated Irsay continued to struggle behind the scenes. He overdosed at least three times since 2020, according to the Post report last year. One of those incidents happened in December 2023, The Athletic reported. First responders treated Irsay with naloxone, a drug used to treat opioid overdoses, before transporting him to a local hospital, according to police reports.
Forbes Valuation
Irsay was worth about $4.8 billion a month before his death, Forbes estimated. He inherited the Colts from his father, Robert Irsay, who acquired the then-Baltimore Colts in 1972. His daughters, Carlie Irsay-Gordon, Kalen Jackson and Casey Foyt, inherited the team after his death, which is now worth an estimated $5.9 billion. Irsay-Gordon is a billionaire in her own right, worth an estimated $1.8 billion.