Igor Shkurko, deputy general director of Russian energy giant Yakutskenergo, was discovered dead under mysterious circumstances in his Siberian prison cell Tuesday.
According to the Daily Mail, Shkurko was arrested after he was accused of taking a bribe and had just submitted an appeal against the charge, which he claimed was unfounded.
Russian authorities have provided no immediate explanation of his cause of death besides sounding off the possibility of criminal homicide.
Yakutskenergo issued a statement of mourning shortly after the news was announced, declaring that they would "remember him as an open, hospitable person with a big heart and a good sense of humor, the caring head of a close-knit family."
Shkurko was married with two sons and in charge of Yakutskenergo's technical management, the Mail noted.
His death comes amid a slate of unexplained deaths following Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine last year, including a number of state-owned energy officials of high rank.
Alexander Tyulyakov, deputy head of corporate security at Gazprom's United Settlement Center, allegedly took his life the day after Putin declared war on Kyiv. And last month, Gazprombank Vice President Vladislav Avayev died.
The Hill reported that Gazprom executives Leonid Shulman, Alexander Tyulakov, and Yury Vornov, as well as former top Lukoil executive Alexander Subbotin, have also been found dead in recent months.
Former Gazprombank Vice President Igor Volobuev previously said he finds it "hard to believe" Avayev shot his 13-year-old daughter and wife before committing suicide last April.
"In my opinion, this is a staged suicide. His suicide was staged," Volobuev stated.
"All these stories are strange. I don't believe in suicide. It will not fit into my head," he added.
Information from Reuters was used in this report.