Cryptocurrency Billionaire Matthew Mellon Dies in Mexican Rehab at 54

Matthew Mellon, the billionaire banking heir, died suddenly at a rehab facility in Cancun, Mexico. He was 54.

Mellon was the ex-husband of Jimmy Choo co-founder Tamara Mellon, with whom he shares one child, daughter Araminta. He was previously married to designer Nicole Hanley, who he shared two children with, Force and Olympia.

A rep for Tamara did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

In a statement by a family rep obtained by Page Six, Mellon “died suddenly in Cancun, Mexico, where he was attending a drug rehabilitation facility.”

“Mellon made his fortune in cryptocurrency, turning a $2 million investment into $1 billion. He is survived by his three children, Force, Olympia and Minty. The family asks that their privacy be respected at this very painful time,” the statement concluded.

Further details of his passing were not immediately available.

Mellon battled with his addiction to Oxycontin for years and revealed to Page Six in 2016 that he was spending $100,000 a month on the drugs while taking about 80 pills a day.

“The doctors kept writing prescriptions like they were Smarties. It’s very irresponsible,” Mellon said, adding he became addicted after suffering an injury. “Oxycontin is like legal heroin. And it needs to be addressed.”

Mellon was featured in Forbes for their February issue. Of how he made $1 billion from investing in Ripple, the father of three said he liked it because it was one of the few cryptocurrencies that worked within the banking system.

“It’s $1 billion virtually for free. I actually have earned it because I was the only person who was willing to raise his hand,” he said. “My family thought I was insane when I knew it was a home run.”

This article originally appeared on People.com.