Billionaire industrialist and conservative mega-donor David Koch has died at age 79, according to New Yorker reporter

David KochMark Lennihan / AP ImagesMark Lennihan / AP Images

  • Billionaire industrialist and conservative donor David Koch has died, family sources told New Yorker reporter Jane Meyer. 
  • David Koch and his brother Charles Koch have donated billions to an extensive network of conservative sources.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Billionaire conservative donor and industrialist David Koch has died, family sources have told New Yorker reporter Jane Meyer.

Meyer tweeted Friday morning that she had been told Koch had died. Her 2016 book Dark Money focussed on the influence of the Kochs on American politics. 

Koch, 79, and his brother Charles, are among the most influential figures in the conservative movement in the US in recent years, having donated billions to a network of conservative organisations. 

In 2018, David Koch retired from his roles at Koch Industries because of ill health. 

A representative for Koch Industries did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

NOW WATCH: Violent video games are played all over the world, but mass shootings are a uniquely American problem

{{}}
Add Comment()
Comments ()
Characters Remaining: 3000
X
Sort By:
Be the first one to comment.
We have sent you a verification email. This comment will be published once verification is done.
Next StoryBrazil's climate change skeptic government says warnings about the fires consuming the Amazon are 'sensationalist,' 'hysterical,' and 'misleading'
Related Stories
Latest Stories

One line on Salesforce's balance sheet gives a clue to the premium it's paying for its acquisitions - and the growing risk behind that strategy

Charles Schwab's operating chief will have a star role in merging two once-rivals. Former colleagues detailed his style and what to expect from the TD Ameritrade integration.

Some 1,100 car shoppers said they'd rather buy an electric pickup truck from Ford or GM than Tesla's Cybertruck - but there's a silver lining for Tesla in the survey

Meet the top-ranked fund manager who only owns 17 stocks, with no more than one per industry. He explains his unconventional approach - and how he targets his best ideas.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez slams Fox News and Tucker Carlson, saying she won't appear on a network that bankrolls a 'white supremacist sympathizer'