Furore over 'slavery in the City' death

Moritz Erhardt was an ambitious 21-year-old, working hard to impress his bosses and get a toehold in the finance industry as he toiled as an intern at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch in London.

According to his colleagues quoted in British reports, the German student's last days at work comprised three consecutive 21-hour shifts, all-nighters that ended at 6am before his workday began again at 9am.

On day four, Erhardt was dead. Erhardt, who was on a seven-week pre-graduate programme in London, died a week ago, said Bank of America spokesman John McIvor. The death was being treated as non-suspicious, said a spokesman for the Metropolitan Police in London.

"He was popular amongst his peers and was a highly diligent intern at our company with a promising future," Bank of America said.

Erhardt was found unconscious at Claredale House, a student lodge in east London. He was pronounced dead at the scene after being treated by medics, said the police spokesman.