58-year-old Quentin Griffiths, co-founder of online fashion retailer Asos, died after mysteriously falling from the 17th floor balcony of an apartment building in Pattaya, Thailand. The incident took place on February 9 but came to light after 10 days. A police investigator told the BBC that Griffiths, a British passport holder, was by himself in the room which was locked from the inside, There was no trace of any break-ins at the time of the death. An autopsy did not reveal any evidence of foul play.Cops confirmed that Griffiths was staying in the luxury hotel as a long-term resident. He was involved in two ongoing court cases that might have caused him stress, police said. Griffiths was separated from his second wife, a Thai national, and had reportedly been engaged in a legal dispute with her over a business they ran together. The wife accused him of stealing from the company. Griffiths was arrested last year in connection with his estranged wife’s complaints as she claimed that Griffiths had forged documents to sell land and shares in the firm without her knowledge. Griffiths, at that time, insisted he was innocent and was released after questioning. The investigation was ongoing. Asos was founded in London in 2000 by Griffiths and Nick Robertson, the great-grandson of the eponymous founder of the suit retailer Austin Reed. The business launched with the name As Seen on Screen, before switching to the Asos acronym in 2002.A source close to his family said: “It’s a real mystery. The phrase ‘suspicious circumstances’ has been used but we just don’t know yet.” Griffiths moved to Thailand around 2007 and after divorcing his first wife married the Thai woman with whom he had a son and a daughter. He had another child from his first marriage. UK Foreign Office spokesperson said: “We are supporting the family of a British national who has died in Thailand and are in contact with the local authorities.”
