The "world's best chef", who was found dead in his home last week, was the victim of a huge wine scam that put him in considerable financial trouble, according to reports.
Benoit Violier, 44, whose Restaurant de l'Hotel de Ville was awarded three Michelin stars, committed suicide last Sunday, leaving no note.
But it is now claimed he was in significant financial trouble, despite the apparent success of his restaurant in Crissier, near Lausanne in Switzerland.
According to reports, the renowned chef fell victim to a scheme where rare wines priced from £14,000 up to £27,500 were sold to restaurants - but never delivered.
Swiss financial magazine Bilan claims he was the victim of a vast scam allegedly masterminded by Private Finance Partners, a Swiss wine company based in Sion.
In 2015, the company trading in rare wines sold expensive bottles that fetched thousands of pounds to a number of restaurants, including Violier's, but allegedly failed to deliver them.