Man suspected to have stolen Schumacher's files found dead in jail

Michael Schumacher

A man arrested on suspicion of being involved with the theft of Michael Schumacher’s medical files has been found hanging in his cell room in Zurich, local authorities have reported.

Swiss air ambulance service Rega was in charge of transferring the comatose German driver from Grenoble to Switzerland, and the unnamed suspect was one of the managers of the company, which is currently in the eye of a crisis.

The man had been picked up on Tuesday on charges of violation of patient privacy and medical secrecy, and was found dead on Wednesday morning when prison officials went to provide him with breakfast. Police have said there are no indications yet of a second party being involved in the death.

The deceased had denied all allegations of wrong-doing, and was due to appear for a hearing on the day of his death.

Earlier, reports had surfaced that the stolen files were being offered for sale to various media outlets, but they have not been published anywhere yet. Prosecutors are investigating possibilities of a breach at Rega.

This incident is the latest in the mysterious affair surrounding the December 29 skiing accident suffered by the seven time F1 world champion. Details of his condition since the incdent have been sparse, and his fans have been left to decipher vague statements released by his family and manager. The exact nature of the accident still remains unclear.