Singapore-based bitcoin company CEO commited suicide: court

The 28-year-old CEO of a Singapore-based bitcoin company had committed suicide in February this year as she was stressed and depressed over financial and business related problems, a Coroner's Court concluded here today.
The court gave this finding and ruled out foul play in the death of Autumn Marie Radtke, a US citizen.
The CEO of the virtual currency exchange company, First Meta, was found dead on February 26, on the second-floor parapet just above a rubbish collection centre of a 30-storey apartment block in the central business district here.
Radtke's cause of death was found to be from "multiple injuries consistent with those sustained from a fall from height".

The court also found she had expressed suicidal thoughts separately to two of her friends, days before her death, according to Channel News Asia.
Police also found a plastic strip that had traces of cocaine in Radtke's pants. But State Coroner Janet Wang said it was "inconclusive" if she had consumed it shortly before her death.

Radtke's boyfriend, 30-year-old Daniel Pohlod, said during investigation that he suspected Radtke had been taking drugs.
But he said Radtke denied it, and that he had never seen her carrying or consuming drugs.
Toxicology reports had found traces of medicine used to treat depression and anxiety disorders in Radtke's blood and urine.

The court also heard that when the police checked Radtke's personal laptop, they found she had researched suicide methods two days before her death.
First Meta is a local start-up incorporated in 2007. According to its website, Radtke moved from California to Singapore in January 2012 to take up the post of CEO.
Investigations showed that about a year and a half after taking up this position, Radtke had started to worry about the state of the company.
The State Coroner said: "It is apparent that Ms Radtke was determined to end her life and had made concerted efforts towards facilitating this outcome. It was unfortunate that the magnitude of the issues on the work and personal front had taken a toll on her and precipitated in the tragic event.

Bitcoin, the biggest among all virtual currencies, can be generated through complex computer software systems with solutions shared on a network, although the process is complex and such 'mining' can be done only on very powerful servers.
Within four years of coming into existence, bitcoin has become the world's most expensive currency.