Edit: yeah, they died very suddenly from an infection and stroke. It’s not like they had cancer or anything. So my contention is wrong in this case. Leaving my comment up to memorialize my mistake.

Original comment:

It appears they died from a “natural illness.” Before we go all conspiracy theory here let me remind everyone that a poor diagnosis sometimes LEADS to someone becoming a whistleblower. They are confronted with their own mortality and want to do some good before they go.

The death may not have been a result of the whistleblowing but may have been the cause of the whistleblowing.