Robert Mueller — the former FBI director who served as special counsel during an investigation into the 2016 election — has died.

His family announced the news in a statement to the New York Times … telling the paper of record he passed away Friday. They did not share where or how he died.

Mueller became the sixth director of the FBI in 2001 and served in the role until 2013. He is the second-longest serving FBI director after J. Edgar Hoover.

Mueller was 81.