Aubrey McClendon, who is part-owner of the Oklahoma City Thunder NBA team, was killed in a fiery single-vehicle crash in Oklahoma City on Wednesday, a day after he was indicted on a charge of conspiring to rig bids to buy oil and natural gas leases.
McClendon owned part of the Seattle Super Sonics before the team relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008. Clay Bennett owns a majority of the team.
McClendon's death follows an announcement Tuesday that he had been indicted by a federal grand jury.
Police say it's too early to tell if the crash was intentional.
McClendon stepped down in 2013 at Chesapeake Energy and founded American Energy Partners, where he was chairman and CEO.
The U.S. Department of Justice said in a statement Tuesday that McClendon was suspected of orchestrating a scheme between two large energy companies, which are not named in the indictment, from December 2007 to March 2012. The companies would decide ahead of time who would win bids, with the winner then allocating an interest in the leases to the other company, according to the statement.
In a statement released Tuesday after his indictment, McClendon denied violating antitrust laws.
"The charge that has been filed against me today is wrong and unprecedented," McClendon said. "Anyone who knows me, my business record and the industry in which I have worked for 35 years, knows that I could not be guilty of violating any antitrust laws. All my life I have worked to create jobs in Oklahoma, grow its economy, and to provide abundant and affordable energy to all Americans. I am proud of my track record in this industry, and I will fight to prove my innocence and to clear my name."
Oklahoma City Police told reporters McClendon's Chevy Tahoe was traveling well over the speed limit at the time it crashed into a concrete pillar underneath a bridge. According to a police incident report, McClendon was not wearing a seat belt.
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