Microsoft software thief dies unexpectedly aged 32

A former Microsoft employee who was fired - and subsequently arrested - for stealing more than $9m worth of software from the company has died unexpectedly, aged just 32.

Daniel Feussner had been released on bail pending his trial for theft but was taken ill late last week. He died as a result of multiple organ failure although the cause of the illness has not yet been ascertained. A full investigation into Feussner's sudden death is currently being carried out.

It is alleged that Feussner stole from his former employer to fund a lavish lifestyle which saw him spend vast amounts of money on sports cars including a Ferrari and a Jaguar, as well as buying diamond rings, a Rolex watch and even a 51-foot yacht.

Feussner was sacked by Microsoft, following an investigation by the FBI, for selling software intended for internal use on the black market. The applications he was charged with selling illegally included SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Edition, Visual Studio and Windows 2000.

Despite such alleged misdeeds Feussner was not coy about displaying the trappings of his lavish lifestyle - even setting up a personal website to show off his expensive possessions.

It is thought his lavish lifestyle was one of the first things to betray the fact that Feussner may have had other, less legitimate, sources of income above and beyond his Microsoft salary.