“My presence may affect and complicate all manner of business relationships,” he wrote. “Thus, while I believe that I did what was necessary for the good of the country, for the good of the firm, I am in the sad position of having to sever ties with Overstock, both as CEO and board member.”

Boardmember Jonathan E. Johnson III is taking over as Overstock’s interim CEO.

The controversy surrounding Byrne began Aug. 12 when he issued a strange and nearly incoherent statement with the title: “Overstock.com CEO Comments on Deep State, Withholds Further Comment.”

In the statement, he admitted to assisting government investigators — whom he refers to as “Men in Black” — with probes into Russia and Hillary Clinton.

He also confirmed reports from Sara Carter, the independent investigative journalist and Fox News contributor.

Carter earlier reported that Byrne had handed over a number of documents, including emails and text messages, to the Department of Justice regarding the origins of the Russian investigation, and an FBI operation into Hillary Clinton, with which he was personally involved during the first months of 2016.

Byrne also told Carter that he had an “intimate relationship” with Maria Butina, who is currently serving a sentence after pleading guilty last year to working as an unregistered foreign agent in the U.S.