Lugner was a successful businessman who built his fortune in construction and real estate
Richard Lugner, an Austrian billionaire known for bringing celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Pamela Anderson to the Vienna Opera Ball, has died at age 91. People, he died at his villa in Vienna on Monday, just two months after marrying his sixth wife, Simone Reilander. Emergency services rushed to his home but were unable to revive him.
According to AFP, Lugner was battling several health problems and underwent surgery in recent months. Despite health problems, he still managed to attend the prestigious Vienna Opera Ball in February with Priscilla Presley, Elvis Presley’s ex-wife.
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer paid him a moving tribute at the X and wrote: “Richard Lugner was a successful businessman and a dazzling personality. An Austrian original that has never been lost. May he rest in peace!
Richard Lugner became an excellent student and a charming person. Ein österreichisches Original, das sich nie verbogen hat. Er ruhe in Frieden! pic.twitter.com/tqp6Zau9fJ
-Karl Nehammer (@karlnehammer) August 12, 2024
Who was Richard Lugner?
Lugner was a successful Austrian businessman who built a fortune in construction and real estate and was also known for his flashy lifestyle and celebrity connections. Lugner’s celebrity guests included the likes of Joan Collins, Jane Fonda, Pamela Anderson, Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton, among others.
One of his most enduring legacies is the iconic Lugner City shopping center in Vienna, which he built in 1990. The complex shared a moving tribute to its founder on Facebook, referring to him as “our mortar and, above all, our dear boss.” ‘
The billionaire also had political ambitions and ran twice in the Austrian presidential elections as an independent candidate, once in 1998 and again in 2016, according to Euro News.
Remarkably, his death came just two months after his marriage to 42-year-old Simone Reilander. The couple exchanged vows in an intimate ceremony at Vienna City Hall on June 1, surrounded by close friends and family. At the wedding, Lugner declared, “It will be the last marriage,” People reported, citing a local media report.
He was previously married to Christine Gmeiner (1961-1978), Cornelia Laufersweiler (1979-1983), Susanne Dietrich (1984-1989), Christina Lugner (1990-2007), as well as Playboy model and actress Cathy Schmitz. (2014-2016).
He is survived by four children from his previous marriages.
This story originally appeared on Ndtv.com read the full story
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25565609/DSCF0053.jpg?w=300&resize=300,300&ssl=1 "Every Time Google Criticized Apple During the Pixel 9 Launch Event")
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25550927/pixel_fold_9_google.png?w=300&resize=300,300&ssl=1 "Google Pixel 9 event: start time and how to watch"){kind=tracking}
