A 91-year-old Austrian billionaire, Richard Lugner, has passed away just weeks after marrying his 42-year-old sixth wife, Simone.
Lugner, renowned for his extravagant lifestyle, multiple marriages, and glamorous dates with A-list celebrities died following several health issues.
The construction tycoon and socialite, who became famous for paying the world’s VIPs to attend Vienna’s annual Opera Ball, passed away at his villa in Vienna on Monday, according to Austrian media reports.
Nicknamed “Mr. Concrete,” Lugner was well-known for his celebrity companions and was often seen partying with high-profile friends.
The billionaire reportedly paid six-figure sums to stars like Kim Kardashian, Geri Halliwell, and Paris Hilton to accompany him to the Opera Ball.
Simone, who was 49 years younger than Lugner, penned a heartfelt tribute to her late husband, as reported by MailOnline. She described him as “the dream of her life.”
Along with the tribute, Simone shared a painting of Richard on Instagram, just a few posts after detailing her wedding dress. “And when I saw you shining, from the way I saw you shine, I knew I was yours too,” she wrote. “In love.”
In an interview with Kurier in April, just a few months before their June wedding, Simone remarked that “everything she wanted in a man was like Richard.”
“A successful man who represents something, who you can cling to, look up to, and learn from. Men like that are very rare at a younger age these days,” she said.
