On April 25, Val Broeksmit, who shared internal Deutsche Bank documents with federal authorities and the media, was found dead in Los Angeles County. Broeksmit’s body was found on the Woodrow Wilson High School campus on the 4500 block of Multnomah Street, according to the Los Angeles County coroner’s office.
Broeksmit was the son of a former Deutsche Bank executive. Over the past few years he shared his late father’s internal bank documents with federal authorities and the media as part of investigations into money laundering allegations against the German bank.
According to Forensic News, “[i]n 2019, Broeksmit was subpoenaed by the House Intelligence Committee for his documents relating to Russia and also began cooperating with the FBI that year into their money-laundering probe into Deutsche Bank.” Broeksmit was additionally a source for stories by David Enrich, a financial journalist for The New York Times, as well as for stories by Forensic News. Using documents provided by Broeksmit, Forensic News posted a number of stories about Deutsche Bank’s dealings with Russian and Ukrainian clients.
Broeksmit had been missing since April 6, 2021. In the wake of his death several of his media contacts and friends mourned his passing.
“My friend Val Broeksmit was found dead today. He was 46,” tweeted Scott Stedmen of Forensic News. “He supplied me and other journalists with Deutsche Bank documents that highlighted the bank’s deep Russia connections. It is very sad. I don’t suspect foul play. Val struggled with drugs on and off. Waiting on further info.”
“Valentin Broeksmit was a complex human being whom I had several interactions with, and his quirky style of communications revealed a tormented soul who wore the description of whistleblower with a sense of unease,” said WNN’s Jane Turner. “Whistleblowing is a very difficult path with few rewards, and many pitfalls. May Valentin Broeksmit rest in peace.”