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Pang is the Newport Beach financier accused by federal regulators of a massive fraud in which millions of dollars were re-directed for his personal use. He had been taken from his Newport Beach home Friday afternoon by paramedics and died early Saturday. Lots to sort out at this point, but the cops appear to be ruling out foul play. From the WSJ:
Sgt. Evan Sailor of the Newport Beach police said that foul play isn't suspected in Mr. Pang's death. However, he added, the autopsy is needed to help determine whether Mr. Pang's death was due to natural causes or was self-inflicted.
Pang was indicted on federal criminal charges in July, and before that he was sued by the SEC for allegedly stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from investors -- mostly Taiwanese banks. He denied wrongdoing.
From the LAT:
Pang first made headlines in 1997 when his 33-year-old wife, a former stripper named Janie, was shot to death in the couple’s Villa Park home. Pang denied involvement in his wife’s murder and was never charged. Pang’s attorney, Hugh “Randy” McDonald, was charged in the slaying. Orange County prosecutors accused McDonald of killing Janie Pang, staging a fake suicide from the Golden Gate Bridge and then going into hiding. A jury was unable to reach a verdict, and prosecutors elected not to pursue a second trial.