Austrian billionaire Richard Lugner, known for his extravagant lifestyle, numerous wives, and glamorous celebrity dates, was buried yesterday in Vienna.

Born in Vienna on October 11, 1932, Lugner quickly made a name for himself in the construction business, focusing on small projects during the construction boom of the 1960s. In 1975, Lugner achieved his first major success when he was commissioned to build the Vienna Islamic Center, Austria’s first and largest mosque. More than a decade later, he built his eponymous shopping center, Lugner City.

The eccentric 91-year-old was a prominent figure in Vienna’s high society, frequently making headlines, including controversy over his sexist comments.

The construction magnate, who passed away at his villa on August 12 at the age of 91, made headlines for paying global VIPs to accompany him to the annual Vienna Opera Ball. Lugner was known for his celebrity friends, whom he often took to parties, and it was reported that the billionaire paid six-figure sums to stars such as Kim Kardashian, Geri Halliwell, and Paris Hilton to walk arm in arm with him at the Opera Ball.

Since 1992, Lugner had invited stars like Goldie Hawn, Joan Collins, and Jane Fonda as special guests to the event, with Fonda stating that he paid her «quite a lot of money» for her participation. Recently, he brought Priscilla Presley to the event and danced with Elvis Presley’s ex-wife all night.

Geri Halliwell attended the Vienna Opera Ball with Richard Lugner in February 2005 but refused to dance with the billionaire.

Sarah Ferguson attended the Opera Ball with Lugner in 1997, after he reportedly paid her a fee ranging from $50,000 to $150,000.

Among Lugner’s former guests are celebrities such as Sophia Loren, Pamela Anderson, Paris Hilton, Jane Fonda, and Joan Collins.

Fonda stated that she accepted the Austrian construction magnate’s invitation to the Vienna Opera Ball because he offered to «pay quite a lot of money.»

Although the amount the magnate paid his honored guests was generally kept under wraps, he took the opportunity to promote his brand and made sure to invite at least one star to the ball each year.

One of the star guests Lugner invited to the Opera Ball was Kim Kardashian, whom he called «annoying» after she and her mother Kris Jenner attended the event in 2014.

Kim claimed she left the event because she was offended by a racist comment from one of the guests. After the ball, Lugner stated that Kim did not dance with him despite being paid a staggering $500,000.

Lugner was married six times, and the ups and downs of his tumultuous personal life were frequently covered as he openly shared them. In 1961, he married Christine Gmainer, and their union lasted until 1978.

He then married Cornelia Lauferzweiler in 1979, but they divorced four years later in 1983.

His marriage to his third wife, Susanne Dietrich, followed a year later, and the couple divorced in 1989.

Lugner was married to his fourth wife, Christine Lugner, from 1990 to 2007, before marrying his fifth wife in 2014. The couple, with a 57-year age difference, divorced in 2016.

The billionaire announced his relationship with Simona Reilender in 2021, and the couple married before 50 guests in June of that year—just a few weeks before his death.

He had four children.

In the late 1990s, Lugner first ventured into politics, garnering nearly 10 percent of the presidential vote in Austria in 1998. In 2016, he ran for president again but came in last, receiving just over two percent.

In 2016, Lugner announced that he had prostate cancer, which he managed to overcome after several months of radiation therapy. Then, in 2020, he was diagnosed with skin cancer, and the disease returned in 2021 after he underwent surgery for both diagnoses. However, the cause of Mr. Lugner’s death has not yet been disclosed.

Insiders claim that his funeral may be the most significant in Austria for a decade, as Lugner planned much of his own funeral arrangements.