Victor Conte, the mastermind behind Major League Baseball’s infamous steroids scandal in the early 2000s, has died at the age of 75.

Conte, who later worked with some of the biggest names in boxing, had been battling pancreatic cancer.

‘We are Heartbroken by the Passing of our Fearless Leader…’ a post on the X account of his company SNAC read. 

‘We will Honor his Wishes. SNAC and his Legacy will Carry Forward, Strong and Forever. We LOVE you, Conte!’

Conte pleaded guilty in 2005 to conspiracy to distribute steroids and money laundering after being accused of supplying the drugs to top athletes.

A raft of big names were implicated in the case, including baseball legends Barry Bonds and Jason Giambi and Olympic sprinter Marion Jones.

Two years earlier, federal agents had raided his company, BALCO (Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative), and his home as part of the investigation into steroids. 

Conte went on to serve four months in a minimum-security prison in California.

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Victor Conte, the mastermind behind MLB’s steroids scandal in the early 2000s, has died