Max Linn, a former US Senate candidate from Maine known for his opposition to Covid-19 mandates, has died at the age of 62.

One of his lawyers said Linn had died of an apparent heart attack on Saturday, reported Bangor Daily News.

Linn ran for the US Senate in 2020 as an independent but won only 1.6 per cent of the votes in the election that eventually sent incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins back to Washington.

However, he attracted attention during the Senate campaign and debates.

He famously cut up a mask on stage in protest against Covid-19 mitigation rules and said to a moderator “request denied” when asked to stay on topic during a debate.

Linn is also believed to be the first person in Maine to have contracted Covid in 2019, reported Sun Journal.

His former aide Matt McDonald said that he picked up Linn from the airport when he returned from China in December 2019.

“I’ve never seen anyone so sick outside a hospital,” Mr McDonald said. “Linn had a hard time breathing.”

“He brought Covid to Maine,” Mr McDonald added. “He was patient zero.”

Mr McDonald said that he too fell ill soon after and was told by doctors that he had an unidentified lung condition. However, he was sure that he had contracted Covid from Linn.

He alleged that his suspicions were put to rest in March 2020 when he said he found that he had Covid antibodies when tested.

Linn, however, never got tested for Covid, and opposed public health measures during his Senate campaign. He also referred to Dr Nirav Shah, who heads the Maine Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, as “the very doctor of death.”

Linn was embroiled in a cryptocurrency row recently after Mr MacDonald brought a protection order against him this fall.

Mr McDonald alleged in court documents that Linn gave him money to invest in cryptocurrency but changed his mind and sought to buy drugs falsely touted as Covid-19 cures.

Mr MacDonald also alleged in his court filings that Linn pointed a gun in his direction when the two met to try to resolve the dispute.

Linn was a retired business planner with a colourful political history.

He spent most of his life in Florida before moving to Maine five years ago.

In Florida, he backed former president Barrack Obama during his first run for office. He also ran for Governor on Reform Party ticket and for Congress as a Democrat while in Florida.

In Maine on the other hand, Linn became a Republican and a supporter of president Donald Trump. He was even present at the Capitol Hill riots on 6 January to oppose president Joe Biden’s election.

He entered politics in Maine in 2018 when he attempted to run against independent Senator Angus King but was disqualified from the Republican primary.