Thomas H Lee, billionaire financier and investor, was found dead of a self-inclined gunshot wound at his office in Manhattan on Thursday morning, police officials said. He was 78

Police received a call on 911 from 767 Fifth Avenue, where Thomas H Lee Capital, LLC is located on the sixth floor at around 11.10 am, according to a NY Post report.

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A statement from a family friend and spokesperson Michael Sitrick said, “While the world knew him as one of the pioneers in the private equity business and a successful businessman, we knew him as a devoted husband, father, grandfather, sibling, friend and philanthropist who always put others’ needs before his own.”

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Lee had two children, Zach and Robbie, from his first wife Barbara Fish. Later, he married Ann Tenenbaum. They had three children: Jesse, Nathan, and Rosalie. Barbara is a Philanthropist who has been listed as one of “Boston’s Most Powerful Thought Leaders” and one of “The 100 People Who Run This Town.”

Lee’s official cause of death will be determined by the Chief Medical Examiner.

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He was the founder and chairman of Lee Equity. He served as the chairman and CEO of Thomas H Lee Partners from 1974 to 2006. Lee is considered one of the early pioneers in private equity and specifically leveraged buyouts. His firm Lee Equity Partners created funds that focused on smaller deals for fast-growing companies.

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According to Forbes, Lee had an estimated net worth of $2 billion at the time of his death.