FBI Investigating Death of Indianapolis Colts Owner Jim Irsay, Report Says By Christine Pelisek

The FBI is reportedly looking into the death of Jim Irsay, who owned the Indianapolis Colts for 28 years.

The Washington Post reported that as part of the investigation, federal authorities are probing the California-based addiction doctor Harry Haroutunian, who allegedly prescribed pain pills and ketamine to Irsay in the months before his May 2025 death.

According to the outlet, citing a federal grand jury subpoena issued from the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California in early January 2026, the FBI is searching for records and information about Irsay’s history of substance abuse and his ties to Haroutunian.

Colts Chief Legal Officer Dan Emerson told the Post on Thursday, Jan. 22, that the Colts’ organization knew about the FBI probe but federal authorities haven’t reached out to them.

“I do understand that there have been some subpoenas provided — but not to me, the Colts or any of our current employees,” he said, per the outlet.

Emerson was unable to be reached for comment.

PEOPLE reached out to the FBI Los Angeles field office, and a spokesperson would not confirm or deny an investigation.

Haroutunian was also unable to be reached for comment.

According to the New York Times, Irsay died in a hotel room in Beverly Hills, Calif., on May 21, 2025. He was 65 years old.

A statement from the Colts at the time said Irsay “passed away peacefully” in his sleep.

It was later determined that Irsay, who long struggled with opioid addiction, died from heart issues and complications due to pneumonia, according to his death certificate.

The Post reported that Haroutunian was treating Irsay at the hotel at the time of his death.

In an August exposé by the outlet, it was revealed that some people in Irsay’s circle had grown concerned about his apparent relapse into addiction throughout the final years of his life.

According to that report, he overdosed three times in the final five years of his life — once in February 2020 and two times in December 2023. He also started receiving ketamine injections from Haroutunian in the last few months before he died.

The report states that Haroutunian signed off on Irsay’s death certificate and informed police that Irsay’s death was from natural causes, PEOPLE previously reported.

“I dedicated 18 months of my life to try to care for him … as a brother,” Haroutunian told the Post last summer. “We did everything we could to make him as comfortable as possible.”

In a statement shared with PEOPLE in August, Irsay’s daughters — Carlie Irsay-Gordon, Casey Foyt and Kalen Jackson — said they “continue to grieve the loss of our Dad, a man defined not only by his role as owner of the Colts, but also by his resilience, his personal struggles, and his deep love for family, friends, and community.”

Regarding the Post report, the sisters said, “We understand the public interest in his life and legacy. While we respect the role of responsible journalism, we decline to comment on the allegations in your inquiry. The media is not the place to address inquiries about information which is disputed, lacks essential context, or involves private medical matters. We ask for continued privacy as we move through this difficult time.”

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Irsay inherited the Colts franchise in 1997 following the death of his father Robert, who bought the NFL team in 1972 and moved it to Indianapolis in 1984.

In 2002, The Indianapolis Star published a story about Irsay and his connection to a local plastic surgeon who was accused of overprescribing opioids to patients, including the late owner, the Post reported.

Irsay started an organization called Kicking the Stigma in 2020 with an aim to promote more openness surrounding those struggling with addiction.

He raised more than $25 million for the initiative.

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.