- Carter McIntosh, a 28-year-old Jefferies TMT banker, died of a toxic mix of drugs, BI has learned.
- The Dallas medical examiner ruled the death an accident.
- McIntosh was an associate on Jefferies' tech, media, and telecom team in Dallas
The 28-year-old banker whose death led to "vitriolic online attacks" on Jefferies died from the "toxic effects" of fentanyl and cocaine, the Dallas medical examiner said.
Carter McIntosh, an associate with the bank's technology, media, and telecommunications coverage team in Dallas, was found dead in his apartment in January, leading Jefferies CEO Richard Handler to issue a memo defending the bank from "unfounded" speculation about the banker's cause of death.
The police initially ruled it an "unexplained death." An autopsy report by the ME's office now says McIntosh's death was an "accident" caused by the "combined toxic effects" of fentanyl and cocaine, according to a copy of the report obtained by Business Insider.
Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid up to 50 times stronger than heroin, has proven a rising threat in the United States, fueling an alarming surge in overdoses. The CDC says overdoses remain the No. 1 killer of Americans ages 18 to 44.
"Our hearts grieve for Carter and our sincere condolences to his family, coworkers, and friends. Carter is missed by many at Jefferies and beyond," Handler told BI in a statement on Wednesday.
In the wake of McIntosh's death, Handler and the firm's president, Brian Friedman, released a memo to staff expressing their "tremendous sadness" and offering support to employees.
Handler also criticized what he called "unfounded" attacks about Jefferies' work culture.
"At this point, nobody knows exactly what happened and engaging in speculation with cynical assumptions serves no useful purpose and only adds to the grief that the McIntosh family is suffering," the memo said.
McIntosh worked at other financial-services firms before joining Jefferies, including stints in equity research at Goldman Sachs and as an investment banking analyst at Moelis & Company, his LinkedIn page showed. Before that, he attended Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey.
