Deloitte says accountant's suicide unrelated to Standard Chartered

Deloitte says accountant's suicide unrelated to Standard Chartered
Aug 19, 2012
(Reuters)

Deloitte LLP said Sunday that the suicide of a New York accountant was unrelated to work for British bank Standard Chartered Plc.

Daniel Pirron, 57, was found dead of a gunshot to the head on August 13 after a passerby noticed the body in a Fairfield, Connecticut parking lot, a Fairfield Police spokeswoman said Sunday. A .38-caliber handgun, found near his body, was registered to Pirron.

Pirron worked as an accountant in the general counsel's office of Deloitte in New York City. In the wake of the death, The Telegraph newspaper in London suggested there was a link between Pirron's death and Deloitte's work for Standard Chartered, which drew the scrutiny of New York's banking regulator.

Standard Chartered on August 14 settled with the New York Department of Financial Services for $340 million after an inquiry into the bank's transactions tied to Iran. That inquiry had questioned work Deloitte had done for the bank. Deloitte has said its work was proper.

In a statement, a Deloitte spokesman on Sunday said, "Dan was a highly respected member of our office of general counsel who made many contributions to our firm. However, Dan was not involved in any way on our work for Standard Chartered Bank. Our thoughts are with his family at this very difficult time."

In an interview, Daniel Pirron's older brother, Michael, said Daniel had shown no sign he was considering suicide and that the timing of his brother's death raised questions as to whether it was related to work for Deloitte.

Michael Pirron said he didn't know specifically the cases his brother was handling for Deloitte. Michael Pirron said his brother was the main financial supporter for two daughters who are approximately 22 and 24 years old. "He loved his work," Michael Pirron said.