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Monday, September 5, 2022

Bed Bath & Beyond executive jumps from skyscraper to his death

The New York City Medical Examiner’s Office on Sunday determined the death was a suicide.

• September 5, 2022

Bed Bath & Beyond Inc’s chief financial officer Gustavo Arnal fell to his death from New York’s Tribeca skyscraper known as the ‘Jenga’ tower last week, police said on Sunday.

In a statement, the New York Police Department said officers had found Mr Arnal’s unresponsive body in the area of Leonard Street and West Broadway in Manhattan last Friday. 

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The police said the 52-year-old “appeared to suffer from injuries indicative from a fall from an elevated position.” 

The New York City Medical Examiner’s Office on Sunday determined the death was a suicide.

The high-rise apartment complex is popularly known as the Jenga Building because of its uneven construction, with 57 stories stacked on top of one another, similar to the building blocks game.

Harriet Edelman, independent chair of Bed Bath & Beyond’s board of directors, said Mr Arnal would be remembered for his leadership abilities and talent.

“I am proud to have been his colleague, and he will be truly missed by all of us at Bed Bath & Beyond and everyone who had the pleasure of knowing him,” Ms Edelman said. “Our focus is on supporting his family and his team, and our thoughts are with them during this sad and difficult time.”

According to his LinkedIn profile, Mr Arnal joined Bed Bath & Beyond in 2020, having previously worked as CFO for cosmetics brand Avon in London and a 20-year term with Procter & Gamble.

In late August, the company announced plans to shut down 150 stores and cut 20 per cent of its corporate and supply-chain staff. Shares of the company fell 25 per cent after an extended period of steadily declining sales. 

Bed Bath & Beyond added that it would discontinue three of its nine labels: Haven, Wild Sage and Studio 3B.

On August 23, the company, Mr Arnal and major shareholder Ryan Cohen were sued over accusations of artificially inflating the firm’s stock price in a “pump and dump” scheme, alleging that Mr Arnal sold off his shares at a higher price after the scheme.

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