'King Of Infomercials' Don Lapre Found Dead

A late-night infomercial facing federal fraud charges was found dead Sunday morning in his Arizona jail cell. He was 47 years old.

According to TMZ, Don Lapre was set to go to trial later this week facing 41 felony counts including wire fraud, mail fraud, conspiracy and promotional money laundering.

Though U.S. marshals in Florence, AZ haven't yet disclosed what he may have used in taking his own life, they have described "a large amount of blood" in his cell that suggests he cut himself. Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal Matt Hershey said an investigation is ongoing.

Lapre awaited without bond the Tuesday opening of his trial on allegations that 220,000 lost around $52 million total after being taken in by Lapre's "Greatest Vitamin In The World" supplement line that the FDA claims didn't meet its claims.

Authorities arrested Lapre June 23 a day after he skipped his arraignment hearing. Lapre had been hiding inside a Tempe, AZ Lifetime Fitness locker room.

Lapre refererred to himself online as "the King of Infomercials." His late-night TV spots would often feature him lamenting a hard-luck life story that selling the "Greatest Vitamin In The World" products helped him turn around into fame, fortune, wealth and prosperity.

Here's a sample of the bill of goods Lapre was selling.