Jefferies Banker’s Death Due to ‘Toxic’ Mix of Drugs: Autopsy

The 28-year-old banker whose death prompted online attacks against 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 medical examiner’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 proved a rising threat in the US, fueling an alarming surge in overdoses. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 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, vitriolic attacks” against 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 & Co., his LinkedIn page said. Before that, he attended Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey.