He was an outspoken advocate for natural gas as an alternative to oil and coal fuels, and a pioneer in employing hydraulic fracturing.

On March 1, 2016, McClendon was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of conspiring "to rig bids for the purchase of oil and natural gas leases in northwest Oklahoma".

[8][5] As a teenager, McClendon started a lawn mowing business, through which he had an early encounter with Shannon Self, who later became a founding board member of Chesapeake Energy.

[9] He was inspired to move from accounting to the energy business after reading an article in The Wall Street Journal about two men selling their Anadarko Basin well stake for $100 million.

[20] The same year, the magazine named McClendon to its 20-20 Club, comprising the eight CEOs of public companies who had delivered annualized returns of more than 20% over a 20-year period.

[23] According to allegations reported in Reuters in April 2012, McClendon took out more than $1 billion in personal loans, to finance drilling costs, from firms that were lenders to Chesapeake.

This raised the potential for conflicts of interest and prompted questions on the corporate governance and business ethics of Chesapeake's senior management.

[25] On June 7, 2012, Reuters alleged that McClendon had used Chesapeake employees to perform $3 million of personal work, including engineering and accounting support and the repair of his house, in 2010.

His employment agreement authorized the personal use of company aircraft by McClendon, his immediate family members and guests, "for safety, security and efficiency" reasons.

[33] In April 2015, American Energy – Utica, LLC reached a settlement with Chesapeake, giving them 6,000 acres (2,400 ha) of land and $25 million.

[34] On April 2, 2013, McClendon founded American Energy Partners, LP (AELP), a private oil and natural gas company based in Oklahoma City.

"[8] On March 1, 2016, a federal grand jury indicted McClendon for violating antitrust laws, with conspiring to suppress prices paid for oil and natural gas leases by allegedly rigging the bidding process.

[18] The United States Justice Department said this was the first case resulting from a continuing federal antitrust investigation into price fixing, bid rigging and other anticompetitive conduct in the oil and natural gas industry.

[40] In 2015, Chesapeake Energy settled charges of antitrust, fraud, and racketeering violations out of court, by agreeing to pay $25 million as compensation to landowners with leases.

[40] After his indictment McClendon released a statement denying all charges, arguing that for 35 years he has worked to create jobs and help Oklahoma's economy while providing plentiful energy for the entire country.

[40] "The charge that has been filed against me today is wrong and unprecedented, I have been singled out as the only person in the oil and gas industry in over 110 years since the Sherman Act became law to have been accused of this crime in relation to joint bidding on leasehold.

"[43] William Baer, then Assistant Attorney General of the United States Justice Department Antitrust Division in the Obama administration, said "His actions put company profits ahead of the interests of leaseholders entitled to competitive bids for oil and gas rights on their land.

"[40] McClendon maintained his innocence, but died the next day, March 2, 2016, in a single-occupant single-vehicle crash when he drove his SUV at 88 mph into a concrete bridge embankment.

[44][45] He also held stakes in several Oklahoma City restaurants, including Irma's Burger Shack,[7] Deep Fork Grill,[7] The Coach House,[46] Republic Gastro Pub,[47] Metro Wine Bistro & Bar,[7] Provision Kitchen[48] and Pops.

[51][52] From 2004 to 2006, McClendon bought almost 400 acres (160 ha) of mostly undeveloped dunes on the east coast of Lake Michigan and the Kalamazoo River for $39.5 million.

[53] In 2006, the five-member Township Board representing Saugatuck, Michigan voted unanimously to rezone the land, making development more difficult.

The Township Board supported the views of local citizens and the Saugatuck Dunes Coastal Alliance, who argued that McClendon's plans for development would irrevocably damage the property.

[53][54] In December 2010, McClendon filed a federal lawsuit attempting to overturn the zoning laws[53] and a settlement was reached in 2012 which voided Saugatuck's 2006 rezoning.

According to police reports, he died instantly when his 2013 Chevrolet Tahoe SUV, traveling at 88 miles per hour (142 km/h), crashed into a concrete overpass for the Turner Turnpike on Midwest Boulevard in Oklahoma City.

[79] The event occurred one day after McClendon's indictment by a federal grand jury accusing him of violating antitrust laws from 2007 to 2012 while the CEO of Chesapeake Energy.

A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney in Oklahoma City disputed initial reports that McClendon was en route to the courthouse when the crash occurred.

[83] Two months later, with the medical examiner's final report still pending, Balderrama announced that the police investigation found no evidence of suicide, including no emails or messages implying this,[84] but neither could it be ruled out: "Had he slept at all?