Death of Angela Chao, sister-in-law of Mitch McConnell, under ‘criminal investigation’: reports

The death of Angela Chao, CEO of New York-based dry bulk shipping company Foremost Group, sister of former U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, and sister-in-law to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, following a car crash in Texas is being investigated as a crime, reports say.

Chao, 50, “was found dead in her sinking vehicle in a pond on a ranch in Johnson City, near Austin, on Feb. 11,” according to the New York Post. The ranch is owned by a corporation connected to Chao’s husband, Jim Breyer, the Post states.  

A Blanco County Sheriff’s Office statement to the Austin American-Statesman Thursday said emergency medical services personnel attempted to save her, but that Chao “succumbed from being under the water.”

Several media reports say a letter to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton from BCSO details the crash “was not a typical accident.”

FOREMOST GROUP CEO ANGELA CHAO, SISTER-IN-LAW OF SENATE MINORITY LEADER MITCH MCCONNELL, DEAD AT 50

Chao was chair and CEO of Foremost Group, a company founded by her parents in 1964 in New York. She worked her way up to leading the company in 2018, previously serving as vice president, concentrating on ship operations and ship management, and later promoted to senior vice president with additional responsibilities, according to Foremost Group’s website.

Chao earned her bachelor’s degree in economics from Harvard College, graduating magna cum laud in just three years. She attended Harvard Business School, where she wrote a case study on “Ocean Carriers” that became part of the required curriculum for first-year HBS students, according to industry news website MarineLink.

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In June 2016, Chao was appointed Chair of the U.S. Risk and Management Committee of Bank of China U.S.A.

Chao had a distinguished career with many honors, including board membership on the American Bureau of Shipping Council and the Massachusetts Maritime Academy’s International Maritime Business Department Advisory Board. 

“She will be greatly missed and leaves a legacy of pioneering leadership — especially for women — in shipping, philanthropy and the arts,” Foremost Group said in a statement.  

Fox Business reached out to BCSO for comment regarding the investigation.

Fox Business’ Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report.