Bed Bath & Beyond's CFO Has Died After Falling From A 57-Story Skyscraper In New York

Bed Bath & Beyond's chief financial officer, Gustavo Arnal, has died after falling from a 57-story New York City skyscraper known as the "Jenga Tower."

This article contains content that may be upsetting to some of our readers.

On Sunday, September 4, CTV News reported that the CFO died on Friday afternoon after falling from the skyscraper located at 56 Leonard Street in Tribeca.

Police were called to the scene at around 12:30 p.m. on Friday and found a 52-year-old man dead near the building. He appeared to have suffered injuries from a fall.

A "law enforcement source" told CNN that the man died after jumping from the 18th-floor balcony of his apartment in the luxury residential skyscraper. The source also said that while no suicide note was found, no foul play is suspected either.

As of the time of publication, police have not publicly provided details about the circumstances leading to Arnal's death. The New York City Medical Examiner's Office is expected to determine the cause of death, and the investigation is ongoing.

Arnal joined Bed Bath & Beyond in 2020 after working for other big-name brands like Avon, Walgreens and Procter & Gamble.

In the days before his death, the company announced plans to close stores, slash brands and lay off employees in an attempt to avoid bankruptcy.

It also predicted losses for the final quarter of 2022 and confirmed expectations for a 20% fall in sales this year.

Further, CTV reports a recent lawsuit against the company and Arnal accuses him of misleading investors and artificially inflating Bed Bath & Beyond's stock price in order to sell off shares at a higher price.

The class action lawsuit, which lists him as one of the defendants, says the total losses to the shareholders were about $1.2 billion.

In a statement on Sunday, Bed Bath & Beyond confirmed Arnal's death and said the organization is "profoundly saddened by this shocking loss."

"Gustavo will be remembered by all he worked with for his leadership, talent and stewardship of our Company," said Harriet Edelman, chair of Bed Bath & Beyond's board of directors.

"Our focus is on supporting his family and his team and our thoughts are with them during this sad and difficult time."

If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of harming themselves, please reach out to a trusted peer, parent or health care professional. You can also call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which is available 24 hours a day, or consult these additional support resources. If you need immediate assistance, please call 911 or go to your nearest hospital. Support is available.