Attorney says late Calif. financier took meds for back pain, suicide claims are ‘offensive’
By APThursday, September 17, 2009
Attorney: Calif. financier took meds for back pain
LOS ANGELES — A lawyer who represented a financier that died last weekend while facing charges of fraud says his late client was taking painkillers and any speculation that his death was a suicide is “offensive.”
Los Angeles attorney David Schindler told the Wall Street Journal on Thursday that a hospital in Newport Beach told Danny Pang’s family that he died of a heart attack.
Schindler says any reports that the 42-year-old Pang had prescription drugs in his system wouldn’t be surprising because he was taking medication to treat his severe back pain.
The attorney says Pang hadn’t been feeling well for several days before his death Saturday.
Authorities say Pang ran a Ponzi scheme and bilked international investors out of millions of dollars. He pleaded not guilty in July to federal charges of evading currency reporting laws.
