Updated

Saudi arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi, once one of the world's richest men who was implicated in the Iran-Contra affair, has died. He was 81 and had been suffering from Parkinson's disease.

A statement from his family says Khashoggi died in London on Tuesday.

Khashoggi was notorious for his lavish lifestyle. He was estimated to be worth some $4 billion at the peak of his wealth in the 1970s.

Khashoggi was a man of connections. His nephew Dodi Fayed was Princess Diana's paramour.

His family says he "combined commercial acumen with an over-riding loyalty to his country, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. His work always furthered the interests of his country."