A recent medical examiner’s report revealed the probable cause of death for 29-year-old Daniel Naroditsky. The world-renowned chess grandmasterand recent Stanford graduate is believed to have died due to cardiac arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat, exacerbated by drugs in his system, according to the report.
The new findings ruled that his death was accidental and probably stemmed from an undiagnosed condition — but noted that Naroditsky had ingested both methamphetamine and kratom, which likely was a contributing factor. The presence of such drugs can “increase the risk of cardiac arrhythmia,” said the report from the Mecklenburg County, N.C., medical examiner’s office that was shared publicly by the Charlotte Observer.
Kratom is an herbal extract derived from a plant native to Southeast Asia that has recently grown in popularity. In Los Angeles County, synthetic versions of the compound have been linked to several deaths.
But the medical examiner was clear that the drugs were “at levels considered non-toxic/non-lethal in forensic toxicology,” and said the medical findings refuted concerns about an overdose, accidental or otherwise.
Naroditsky, who was a California native but had been most recently living in North Carolina, was found dead by friends in his Charlotte home on Oct. 19, two days after they had noticed his “altered mental status” during one of his livestreams, the report said. Naroditsky had built a career from his chess success, teaching the game, streaming online to thousands of fans, and even, in 2022, being named the New York Times’ chess columnist.
After that livestream, his friends had checked on him, “confiscating approximately 40 pills described as ‘probably Adderall,’” the report said.
In his last livestream before his death, Naroditsky spoke of the toll he’d suffered from allegations of cheating by former World Chess Champion Vladimir Kramnik. Naroditsky denied the allegations, which were not proven.
“Ever since the Kramnik stuff, I feel like if I start doing well, people assume the worst of intentions. The issue is just the lingering effect of it,” Naroditsky said.
The International Chess Federation filed a formal complaint against Kramnik in November, accusing him of harassment and insulting the dignity of fellow players.
Kramnik, who called the federation’s investigation “insulting and unfair,” in turn filed a defamation lawsuit against the organization the following month.
In a post Tuesday on the social platform X, he called Naroditsky’s death an “immense tragedy” and said that, in the immediate aftermath, “a cynical smear campaign was launched, unjustly linking me — without any factual basis — to Daniel’s untimely death.” He said death threats spurred him to take legal action.
Two days after Naroditsky’s final livestream, he was found dead, appearing to have died suddenly and “without evidence of acute distress,” the report found. A partially eaten meal was still on his dining room table.
The suspected cardiac arrhythmia was likely due to a diagnosed condition known as “systemic sarcoidosis,” which can cause lumps in the lungs and other organs, the report found. It listed the drugs in his system as a contributing factor.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
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