Austrian Billionaire Richard Lugner Passes Away at 91, Just Two Months After Marrying Sixth Wife
Richard Lugner, a prominent Austrian billionaire and businessman, passed away on Monday, August 12, at the age of 91, just two months after his marriage to his sixth wife, Simone Reiländer.
Lugner, famous for paying celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and Pamela Anderson to accompany him to lavish events, died at his villa in Vienna. Reports indicate that first responders arrived at his mansion but were unable to revive him.
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer expressed his condolences in a heartfelt tribute on X, saying, “Richard Lugner was a successful entrepreneur and a dazzling personality. An Austrian original who never lost his way. May he rest in pe
Lugner, a construction magnate, married 42-year-old Reiländer in June at Vienna City Hall. The couple, despite their 49-year age difference, exchanged vows in front of 50 guests and 30 members of the press.
Following their wedding, Reiländer made headlines by hinting at their intimate life, saying they “had a very long wedding night. Longer than the wedding day.”
Shortly after their wedding, Lugner was hospitalized due to severe back pain, which he attributed to his exercise bike. He received daily numbing injections from a pain therapy specialist. His health deteriorated further on July 12 when he was rushed to the Vienna General Hospital with a ruptured heart valve.
In light of his declining health, Lugner disclosed that he had already made funeral arrangements and ordered his tombstone, saying, “I wanted to have everything arranged. My heirs should know what to do.”
Lugner also revealed that Reiländer had taken full control of his business operations, stating, “My wife wears the pants now. She should support me actively. From now on, we will share my work,” naming her the “sole boss” of his empire.
Lugner’s career began to soar after he opened Lugner City, Austria’s seventh-largest shopping center, in 1990. His business empire continued to grow from there, and he even made two attempts to run for Austrian president, in 1998 and 2016.
In 2016, Lugner was diagnosed with prostate cancer, and after undergoing radiotherapy, he successfully battled the illness. However, he was later diagnosed with skin cancer, which was surgically removed in 2019, only to return in 2021, leading to another surgery.