Quentin Griffiths, the co-founder of online fashion giant ASOS, has died after falling from a high-rise apartment balcony in Thailand. According to a report by The Sun, the 58-year-old millionaire is said to have mysteriously plunged from the 17th floor of the apartment in Pattaya. Police and paramedics found Griffiths on the ground below his balcony.
According to the report, authorities have said that there were no immediate signs of a disturbance inside the apartment, but have not ruled out foul play. The exact cause of death will be determined after a full post-mortem examination.
A source close to the family described the circumstances as unclear. “It’s a real mystery. The phrase ‘suspicious circumstances’ has been used but we just don’t know yet,” the person told The Sun.
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Who was Quentin Griffiths?
Griffiths helped launch ASOS in 2000 alongside Nick Robertson and Andrew Regan. The company went on to become a 3 billion pounds global fashion retailer, with high-profile figures such as the Princess of Wales and Michelle Obama known to have worn its designs.
Griffiths stepped down as marketing director in 2005. He later reportedly made around 15 million pounds from share sales in 2010 and received further stock windfalls in 2013.
In subsequent years, he became embroiled in legal and financial disputes. He sued his accountants at BDO, alleging he had received incorrect advice on minimising tax liabilities related to the sale of shares in ASOS and Achica, an online retailer he also co-founded. Griffiths claimed the advice cost him more than 4 million pounds in additional tax.
Notably, the tragedy also follows a dispute with Griffiths’ Thai ex-wife, who has accused him of stealing 500,000 pounds from a company they operated together. The 58-year-old was arrested last year and quizzed by detectives when she claimed he had forged documents to sell land and shares in the company without her knowledge.
Griffiths denied the allegations and was released after questioning. The investigation was ongoing at the time of his death.
A father of three, Griffiths moved to Thailand around 2007. He is survived by his children. Investigations into the circumstances surrounding his death continue.