Police Arrest 6 in Connection with HQ Trivia Co-Founder Colin Kroll's Overdose Death
Police and federal agents have arrested six people in connection with the death of HQ Trivia co-founder Colin Kroll.
Kroll was found dead in his New York City Apartment on Dec. 16, 2018. He died of an accidental overdose of fentanyl, fluoroisobutyryl fentanyl, heroin and cocaine, PEOPLE confirmed. He was 34.
On Wednesday, six members of an alleged drug delivery service — Christian Baez, 33, Luis Meson, 31, Gregoris Martinez, 34, Kevin Grullon, 25, Joiffrey Urena, 27, and Ariel Tavarez, 38 — called Mike’s Candyshop were arrested and charged with distributing heroin and cocaine — that included a dose that resulted in Kroll’s death, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York announced, ABC News reported.
Kroll was allegedly a customer of Mike’s Candyshop — an alleged drug trafficking organization that delivered heroin and cocaine on demand to customers in New York City.
“As alleged, these defendants operated a covert on-demand delivery service for the distribution of highly addictive and dangerous drugs,” U.S. Attorney Geoff Berman said, according to ABC News.
“The illicit enterprise allegedly allowed people to order heroin and cocaine to their doorstep simply by calling the business phone number with the same convenience as if they were ordering pizza,” special agent Peter Fitzhugh, who is in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New York, said, ABC News reported.
The charge brought against Baez, Meson, Martinez, Grullon, Urena and Tavarez carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison, ABC News reported. They appeared before a judge in Manhattan federal court on Wednesday.
“Anyone who deals in illegal narcotics must understand that the nation’s best investigators will stop at nothing to fight crime and keep safe all the people we serve,” NYPD Commissioner James P. O’Neill said in a statement obtained by ABC News.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
A contact for Mike’s Candyshop could not immediately be found.
The New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner ruled in a statement released in February that Kroll’s death was accidental and due to acute intoxication from the mixed drugs.
On Dec. 16, 2018, Kroll was found unresponsive in his bedroom and was declared dead at the scene by EMS responders, a New York City Police Department spokesperson confirmed to PEOPLE, adding that preliminary results suggested that Kroll had overdosed.
In a statement given to PEOPLE in December, a spokeswoman for the popular trivia app said, “We learned today of the passing of our friend and founder, Colin Kroll, and it’s with deep sadness that we say goodbye. Our thoughts go out to his family, friends and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.”
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Following the news of his death, Kroll’s Vine and HQ Trivia co-founder, Rus Yusupov, also reacted in a tweet.
“So sad to hear about the passing of my friend and co-founder Colin Kroll,” he wrote. “My thoughts & prayers go out to his loved ones. I will forever remember him for his kind soul and big heart. He made the world and internet a better place. Rest in peace, brother.”
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So sad to hear about the passing of my friend and co-founder Colin Kroll. My thoughts & prayers go out to his loved ones. I will forever remember him for his kind soul and big heart. He made the world and internet a better place. Rest in peace, brother.
— Rus (@rus) December 16, 2018
Kroll co-founded Vine, which he left in 2014 and which was later discontinued. Kroll started as HQ Trivia’s chief technology officer in 2017 and became CEO in September 2018.
Kroll also worked for Jetsetter and Yahoo, according to The New York Times.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, please contact the SAMHSA substance abuse helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.
