NOTABLE DEATHS
Ivan Boesky, 87, the financier who was a central figure of the 1980s insider trading scandals. At his peak, Boesky, who partly inspired the Gordon Gekko character in the 1987 movie “Wall Street,” was considered a genius at risk arbitrage, the business of speculating in takeover stocks, and his wealth was estimated at $280 million. But the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission proved he obtained tips from investment bankers about deals in the works and used them illegally before the information was released to the public. He won leniency by cooperating in the government’s investigation of insider trading rings.
Sam Butcher, 85, the creator behind the iconic “Precious Moments” porcelain figurines. As a child, Butcher would draw and sketch under his family’s dining room table in Redding, California. He began drawing for family and friends, commercializing his artwork in 1975, according to the Precious Moments website. Precious Moments porcelain figurines officially became available for purchase in 1978, three years after the artwork first appeared on greeting cards and inspirational posters.
Charlie Colin, 58, one of the founding members of the San Francisco-born pop rock band Train. Founded by Pat Monahan, Rob Hotchkiss, Jimmy Stafford, Scott Underwood and Colin in the early 1990s, with Colin recruited as the bassist, Train has produced a number of chart-topping hits including “Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me),” which won the Grammy for best rock song in 2002; “Hey, Soul Sister; “Calling All Angels”; and “Meet Virginia.”
Geane Herrera, 33, a former UFC fighter, following a motorcycle crash in Tampa, Florida. A flyweight, he fought 13 times (including four times in UFC) over seven years and recorded 10 victories. He later participated in bare-knuckle boxing with BKFC.
Kabosu, 18, the Japanese Shiba Inu who became a global meme and the face of alternative cryptocurrency Dogecoin, an alternative cryptocurrency that be
gan as a satirical critique of the 2013 crypto frenzy. But the token jumped in value after Tesla boss Elon Musk, a proponent of cryptocurrencies, began tweeting about it in 2020.
Jim Otto, 86, a former Oakland Raiders center and one of the legendary iron men in pro football history. In his iconic No. 00 jersey, Otto anchored the Raiders’ offensive line for 15 seasons in a Hall of Fame career from 1960 and 1974. During that span, Otto never missed a game, making 210 consecutive regularseason starts and 13 additional playoff appearances. Otto’s longevity did come at a cost. By his count, he underwent 74 surgeries and sustained more than 20 concussions. In his later years, he had his right leg amputated above the knee due to a pair of infections that threatened his life.
Ebrahim Raisi, 63, Iran’s president, was killed along with Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and other officials in a helicopter crash in mountainous terrain near the Azerbaijan border. helicopter, a U.S.made Bell 212 model, went down in heavy fog in a remote area May 19. Raisi’s death comes at a time of raised speculation over who will eventually replace Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Raisi was viewed as a possible successor to the 85-year-old cleric. Raisi, a hard-liner, was elected in 2021 in an election in which moderate and reform candidates were excluded.
Alice Stewart, 58, a CNN political commentator. The Atlanta native was a veteran senior communications adviser on numerous presidential campaigns, according to Harvard Kennedy
School’s Institute of Politics, where she was a member of the Senior Advisory Committee. She developed communications strategies for the GOP’s National Senatorial Committee and National Congressional Committee.
— USA TODAY Network and Reuters