‘Bling Empire’ star Anna Shay passes away at 62

Variety has confirmed the passing of Anna Shay, who starred in Netflix's reality show Bling Empire, after suffering a stroke. She was 62 years old.

Anna was born and brought up in Japan to Ai Oizumi Shay, who was half-Japanese and half-Russian, and Edward Shay, an American businessman. Anna's father was the founder of Pacific Architects and Engineers, a company involved in global defense contracting.

Shay’s family released a statement announcing her passing, “It saddens our hearts to announce that Anna Shay, a loving mother, grandmother, charismatic star, and our brightest ray of sunshine, has passed away at the early age of 62 from a stroke. Anna taught us many life lessons on how not to take life too seriously and to enjoy the finer things. Her impact on our lives will be forever missed but never forgotten,”

Anna’s Bling Empire co-star Kevin Kreider took to Instagram to remember her: “ So unexpected and wished when I saw you last for lunch I would have taken a moment to smell the roses and had one last adventure with you.”

Following her father's passing in 1995, Anna Shay's brother Allen took over as CEO of Pacific Architects. The siblings later sold the company to Lockheed Martin in 2006, which made them heirs to the family fortune.

In 2021, Shay rose to fame as a cast member of Netflix's reality TV series Bling Empire, where she appeared alongside other Asian American socialites based in Los Angeles such as Kane Lim, Kim Lee, and Jaime Xie. The show was often compared to the popular film Crazy Rich Asians.