The arts patron who allegedly tried to make a $10million donation to the Met using Soros family funds died by suicide just days after the hefty gift was flagged for fraud, a medical examiner ruled.
Matthew Christopher Pietras, 40, was found dead inside his New York City apartment on May 30.
The charming philanthropist made his way into elite circles, managing the finances for George Soros’ son, Gregory, as a personal assistant, and operating as chief of staff to Courtney Sale Ross, Time Warner CEO Steven Ross’ widow.
He has established himself as a prominent figure in the arts realm for his generous contributions to institutions, including the Frick Collection and the Metropolitan Opera.
Pietras, who produced several Broadway shows and allegedly claimed to have landed a job with the Qatari royal family, flaunted an over-the-top lifestyle on social media.
But his pristine and wealthy image started to crumble when he donated to the prestigious opera in late May.
Once the $10million – his largest donation to the Met – was transferred, a Soros family representative sounded the alarm for fraud.
They claimed the money was not Pietras to give and it belonged to a member of the billionaire Soros family, which had no clue about this transaction.
Matthew Christopher Pietras (pictured), 40, was found dead inside his New York City apartment on May 30
Pietras (right) was seen with a friend, Tina Raja (left) at the American Ballet Theatre Spring Gala just before he died
Pietras was known to be a big spender who flashed his wealth (pictured: Pietras and friends at a gala)
The night the donation was blocked, Pietras was rubbing elbows at the American Ballet Theatre Spring Gala in New York City.
Within 48 hours, Pietras was found dead.
Mystery surrounding the circumstances of his death had been looming for months.
A New York Magazine exposé claiming he mooched off the funds of his wealthy bosses only made the situation more complex.
The NYC Office of Chief Medical Examiner ruled his death a suicide on Monday, The New York Times reported.
The socialite died from acute intoxication by drugs, specifically the ‘combined effects of cyclobenzaprine, clonazepam and propranolol,’ the examiner noted.
While his official cause of death was just released, a woman who considered herself a close friend of Pietras, Jane Boon, had made this chilling prediction last month.
Boon told the Daily Mail in August that she suspected Pietras killed himself and she was not surprised.
The socialite (pictured in 2009) died from acute intoxication by drugs, specifically the ‘combined effects of cyclobenzaprine, clonazepam and propranolol,’ the examiner noted
Pietras (pictured with a friend, Whitney Hudson, in 2024) established himself as a prominent figure in the arts realm for his generous contributions to institutions
The charming philanthropist managed finances for the billionaire Soros family (pictured: George Soros)
She said he often joked about ending his life in his 40s – while he was ‘still gorgeous’ – so he could be ‘a beautiful corpse.’
In July, Boon published an essay in AirMail about her complicated friendship with Pietras, whom she described as an extravagant spender with an outgoing personality.
But she suspected he was lying about who he truly was and was allegedly ripping off the people he worked for.
Boon pointed to inconsistent stories about his past and his vague answers regarding his salary.
‘What was real and what was make-believe?’ Boon asked in her essay.
While she said she adored her friend, whom she met in April 2012, while both were working as background actors on the set of Law & Order: SVU.
He immediately told her how he lived in a lavish apartment at the Pierre Hotel on Fifth Avenue funded by his wealthy grandparents – which she was never invited to.
Pietras’ former boyfriend, Andrew, told New York Magazine he was also never invited to the apartment.
But one day after dinner, Pietras allegedly invited him back to his place. But instead of the ritzy hotel, it was a small, cluttered studio apartment. Pietras allegedly said he lived there because the rent was ‘reasonable.’
Jane Boon (right) met Pietras (left) in April 2012 while the pair were working as background actors on the set of Law & Order: SVU
Mystery surrounding the circumstances of Pietras’ death had been looming for months (pictured: Pietras drinking wine with friends)
Pietras, who produced several Broadway shows and allegedly claimed to have landed a job with the Qatari royal family , flaunted an over-the-top lifestyle on social media (pictured: a post from his 40th birthday)
‘I watched you order a $6,000 bottle of wine, and you like the reasonable rent. What?’ Andrew told the outlet.
With the apartment confusion hardly skimming the surface of the alleged web-of-lied Pietras spun, Boon has been left to wonder who he truly was.
‘Part of his compulsion – and I think the dishonesty was compulsive – was that he had to project success to whoever was in front of him,’ she told the Daily Mail.
‘I feel this loss,’ she said. ‘But what did I lose? I had a long relationship with him – a good one – but it wasn’t real.
‘I want to believe there was something sincere at his core, but I just don’t know.’