Billionaire conservative figure David Koch has died, his brother Charles Koch confirmed in a statement. He was 79 years old.
“It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of my brother David. Anyone who worked with David surely experienced his giant personality and passion for life,” Charles Koch wrote in a statement, adding that his brother was diagnosed with prostate cancer 27 years ago.
“David liked to say that a combination of brilliant doctors, state-of-the-art medications and his own stubbornness kept the cancer at bay,” Charles Koch’s statement continued. “We can all be grateful that it did, because he was able to touch so many more lives as a result.”
His death comes a year after he stepped down from Koch Industries, the corporation he ran along with his brothers, due to deteriorating health, his brother Charles write in a letter to company officials last June, according to The Associated Press.
Last summer, he also stepped down from the variety of business and political activities he was involved in, including the Koch Industries subsidiary Koch Chemical Technology and the Americans For Prosperity Foundation charity that largely encompasses the brothers’ political work.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
