No foul play suspected in death of federal informant Valentin Broeksmit, LAPD says

Authorities Friday said no foul play is suspected in the death of Valentin Broeksmit, a man believed to have worked with federal authorities to investigate the activities of Deutsche Bank and its ties with former President Donald Trump.

A cleaning crew found Broeksmit, 45, self-described as a "comically terrible spy," around 6:40 a.m Monday on the Woodrow Wilson High school campus in El Sereno. 

Officials have yet to release a cause of death pending an autopsy.  

Officers say they responded to the campus on a "death investigation" call. School police said there was no video footage of Broeksmit arriving at the campus and they were unsure how long he'd been there.

"Upon arrival, the officers were directed by school staff to the location of the man, who was later identified as Valentin Broeksmit," police said in a statement released on Friday.

"Broeksmit was found lying on the ground in a courtyard of the school," police said. "Los Angeles City Fire Department paramedics, who had also responded to the location, attempted to render medical aid; however, Broeksmit did not respond to those attempts and was pronounced deceased at the scene.

"At the time of the officer's investigation, there did not appear to be any indication of trauma to Broeksmit's body and his remains were released to the Los Angeles County coroner's office," police said.

Detectives from the LAPD's Central Bureau Homicide office were notified, police said.

"Detectives responded to conduct a follow-up investigation and interview potential witnesses," police said. "This investigation is still ongoing; however, no foul play is suspected at this time and based on the investigation, it appeared that Broeksmit was alone on the grounds of the school most of the weekend preceding his death.

"The manner of Broeksmit's death is pending a review of the investigation, along with the coroner's examination and toxicology results," police said.

Broeksmit was last on April 6, 2021, driving a red Mini Cooper in Griffith Park.

Although Broeksmit had gone missing his Twitter account remained active. Freinds and journalists claimed to stay in contact with him during his disappearance.

Forensic News investigative journalist Scott Stedman tweeted that he last spoke with Broeksmit in January.

Stedman wrote that Broeksmit had given him "Deutsche Bank documents that highlighted the bank's deep Russia connections." 

"It is very sad," he added. "I don't suspect foul play. Val struggled with drugs on and off. Waiting on further info." 

New York Times reporter David Enrich, who said that Broeksmit helped the FBI in its probe into the financial institution, also wrote that Broeksmit struggled with drug abuse and would often conjure "far-fetched theories" while bending the truth. 

Stedman said that Broeksmit's father had committed suicide in 2014 which haunted the 45-year-old.

"To see his life end so short is incredibly depressing," Stedman wrote. 

Broeksmit, who was also subpoenaed by the House Intelligence Committee during its probe into Trump and the bank, reportedly offered hundreds of documents to federal investigators and journalists who were looking for ties between Deutsche Bank and Trump. The documents were left behind by his stepfather William, who was an executive for the bank, died. 

"This is terrible news," Enrich tweeted. "Val was a longtime source of mine and the main character in my book. We had a complicated relationship, but this is just devastating to hear."

Anyone with information on the case was urged to contact LAPD Detective Carrero-Ortiz at 213-996-4118 or via email at 38431@lapd.online. During non-business hours or on weekends calls should be directed to 877-LAPD- 247.