Dale Cheney, the Connecticut financier who jumped to his death from a Manhattan rooftop bar last week, was facing criminal charges at the time of his death, according to a new report. Cheney, 46, filed for divorce from his wife Lauren, 44, days before he died after falling from the roof of a Times Square bar.
He was charged with two misdemeanors on January 16 during a domestic incident at the couple's New Canaan home, the Wilton Bulletin reported. Cheney plunged to his death from Bar 54 at the Hyatt Centric Times Square New York on West 45th Street near Seventh Avenue on Wednesday evening.
Killed Himself Out of Guilt?
Cheney's wife Lauren reportedly got a restraining order against him after the incident, in which the financier was charged with fourth-degree criminal mischief and disorderly conduct. The investment banker was freed on a $25,000 bond following a court appearance in Stamford.
Cheney, a father of five young adults in their teens and early 20s, filed for divorce on January 23 two days prior to his death in Midtown.
According to New Canaan police, a domestic argument was reported at Cheney's residence around 3:40 pm on January 16. They further stated that "Cheney and another occupant of the residence" were parties to the conflict.
According to the police, Cheney fell from the rooftop bar at West 45th Street and Seventh Avenue around 6:30 p.m. in what was later ruled a suicide. They also said that there were at least two witnesses when Cheney jumped from the roof of the bar around.
He also had explosive rows about money several years ago, according to court documents. According to law enforcement sources who spoke to The New York Post, police were called to his former Upper East Side home twice in 2008 due to domestic confrontations with his wife. One of the disagreements involved money.
Cheney moved out of Manhattan, to Connecticut, in 2010, property records show.
The couple bought their house for $1.6 million in 2018. According to the outlet, Lauren wasn't at the property on Thursday.
Troubled Life
It is understood that Cheney was having a lot of problems in his personal life. The problems may have prompted him to commit suicide. "We are heart-broken and deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Dale Cheney," his family said in a statement to DailyMail.com.
"We are so grateful for the overwhelming outpouring of love and support from our community. During this sensitive time of profound sorrow for our family, we appreciate your understanding of our desire for privacy.
"Dale was a loving father, husband, brother, and son. Most of all, Dale absolutely adored his children spending many happy hours mentoring, coaching, teaching, and playing with them."
According to his LinkedIn page, Cheney was a reputable money manager who served as a board member and investor at six different companies in four states.
Cheney, a Harvard graduate, held a master's degree in business administration. He worked for Goldman Sachs from 2005 to 2007, after which he moved on to Citicorp Venture Capital to become an investment principal.
Cheney founded T-street Capital in 2013 in Darien, Connecticut, a town that is located roughly 40 miles northeast of Manhattan.
The company describes itself as "an independent growth equity firm that works in partnership with founders and management teams to grow their businesses through a combination of capital investment, acquisitions, and other opportunistic and strategic initiatives."
T-street said in June 2019 that it had executed a deal that raised $75 million for a new fund to "continue its focus on growth equity investments."
Cheney's family has not yet responded to inquiries about his death.
The bar from where Cheney jumped to his death issued a statement saying that its "truly heartbroken," but it has not yet indicated whether it will modify its outdoor deck to stop future suicides.
"We are truly heartbroken at the situation that occurred this evening outside our rooftop bar, and we are keeping the victim's family and friends in our thoughts and hearts," said Tom Bundell, general manager.
Cheney death comes just months after 26-year-old aspiring model Elizabeth Gaglewski committed suicide at the same bar.
The bar said that she had "struggled to cope" with her father's death and had suffered depression. Gaglewski fell and died after landing on a balcony on the 27th floor.
