FBI Launches Investigation into Sudden Death of NFL Team Owner

Back in May, longtime Indianapolis Colts team owner Jim Irsay passed away suddenly in a Los Angeles hotel. At the time, a doctor signed a death certificate indicating that Irsay's passing was due to cardiac arrest caused by pneumonia and heart issues.

However, with a report last year casting some doubt on the circumstances of his death, the FBI has now launched an investigation.

'Peacefully in His Sleep'

One of the NFL’s longest-tenured and most recognizable owners, Irsay passed away on May 21 at the age of 65. In a statement, the Colts confirmed his death and said the longtime team owner died "peacefully in his sleep."

“We are devastated to announce our beloved Owner & CEO, Jim Irsay, passed away peacefully in his sleep this afternoon,” said Colts COO Pete Ward in a statement following Irsay's death.

“Jim’s dedication and passion for the Indianapolis Colts in addition to his generosity, commitment to the community, and most importantly, his love for his family were unsurpassed.”

Irsay Suffered Multiple Relapses

It was widely known that Irsay battled substance abuse issues throughout his life. However, the Washington Post reported that the longtime team owner relapsed multiple times in the final years of his life and hid it from the public.

The outlet reported that he overdosed three times in the years leading up to his death: once in Turks and Caicos in 2020; at his Indiana home in December 2023; and then 12 days later at a resort in Florida that resulted in a hospital stay that lasted nearly four months.

The Post revealed that Irsay used ketamine after speaking with a California doctor who provided Irsay with more than 200 opioid pills in the days leading up to his December 2023 overdose. Nurses for that same doctor, The Post reports, administered ketamine injections to Irsay.

The outlet reports that on the day of Irsay's death, that same doctor was staying with Irsay and caring for him. The Washington Post reports that the same doctor signed Irsay’s death certificate and cited “cardiac arrest due to pneumonia and heart issues” as the cause of death.

“I dedicated 18 months of my life to try to care for him … as a brother,” Haroutunian told The Post in a brief interview this summer. “We did everything we could to make him as comfortable as possible.”

FBI Launches Investigation

Following the revelation of Irsay's drug use late in his life, The Washington Post reports that the FBI is now investigating the death, as well as the recovery doctor who provided him with prescription pain pills and ketamine in the final months of his life.

According to a federal grand jury subpoena, reviewed by The Post, the FBI is seeking records and information relating to Irsay’s death, his “substance (illegal and prescription) use,” and his “relationship with Dr. Harry Haroutunian.”

Colts Chief Legal Officer Dan Emerson told The Post that the team is aware of the investigation but has not been served with a subpoena or contacted by the FBI.

“I do understand that there have been some subpoenas provided, but not to me, the Colts or any of our current employees,” Emerson told the outlet.