Rich was pardoned by President Clinton

FRANKFURT, Germany — Marc Rich, the commodities trader who fled the United States to avoid federal indictments during the 1980s before President Bill Clinton pardoned him two decades later, has died. He was 78.

Rich died in a hospital near his home in Switzerland early Wednesday, spokesman Christian Koenig said by telephone.

Rich fled to Switzerland hours before being indicted in 1983 on more than 50 counts of wire fraud, racketeering, trading with Iran during an embargo, and evading more than $ 48 million in U. S. income taxes.

On the last day of his presidency in January 2001, Clinton pardoned Rich. That and other pardons by Clinton created an uproar.