Dennis Shields, a leading entrepreneur in the litigation funding industry and the romantic partner of “The Real Housewives of New York City” star Bethenny Frankel, was found dead Aug. 10 at 51, according to news reports.

Shields had been a leader in the litigation finance sector for more than two decades. He was the founder and CEO of LawCash, a Brooklyn-based provider primarily of settlement advances for private litigants that launched in 2000. Shields was also a founder and executive chairman of Esquire Bank, a Long Island-based financial institution that services law firms and lawyers, and launched YieldStreet Inc., an online lending and investment business.

Dennis Shields.