Richard Lugner, sometimes referred to erroneously as a “billionaire” despite never actually achieving quite that level of wealth, recently passed away at the age of 91. His will bequeathed assets totaling some $200 million to various parties, including his sixth wife, Simone Reiländer (pictured with Lugner below). But a German news outlet Bild, via The Daily Beast, reports that there may be a contentious legal battle in the near future, coming largely from Lugner’s fourth wife Christina Lugner and on behalf of their daughter, Jacqueline.
Lugner married Simone Reiländer on June 1st, 2024, only a couple of months before his eventual death. A month later, he reportedly had his will amended to include Reiländer, going on to appoint her as the head of his Lugner City shopping center in Vienna a month after that. He spoke of his intentions regarding his new bride and his will sometime in April:
“She should be protected when I say goodbye. That’s why I will also revise my will. Because whoever lives with me when I die should also inherit accordingly.”
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But a source close to Christina Lugner says that might be headed for a courtroom. The source says she intends to “fight with all means to ensure [Jacqueline] gets as much as possible.”
The source also says that Christina and Jacqueline will likely not be the only sources of conflict regarding Lugner’s amended will. He leaves behind four adult children in all: Jacqueline, Alexander, Andreas, and Nadine, and there’s likely to be some discord at the very least regarding their inheritances. The source goes on:
“There will be a huge tussle over the inheritance. Who will have the right to live in the villa? Who will get what from the foundations?”
Christina herself appears to have made reference to this battle herself in her own statement to the Austrian press:
“Our daughter Jacqueline will do everything in her power to ensure that Richard’s legacy is preserved and that everything is implemented as Richard wished.”
Lugner is also reported to have broken off contact with 59-year-old Andreas shortly before his death, but that doesn’t appear to have resulted in any major disinheritance as Andreas, along with Alexander, have both inherited their father’s large construction business. And an Austrian news outlet reports they are also managing the complex web of corporations, real estate, and other assets that make up their late father’s foundation.
In addition to the construction and retail fortune that earned him the nickname “Mr. Concrete,” Lugner earned occasional headlines for his outings with celebrities and socialites like Jane Fonda, Goldie Hawn, Kim Kardashian, and Paris Hilton, at least some of whom reportedly earned six figures for being his date to the annual Vienna Opera Ball gala.