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Billionaire Richard Lugner, Who Paid $500,000 for Kim Kardashian Date, Dies at 91

Richard Lugner, 90, the famous Austrian billionaire, died. He had been suffering from various diseases and had received recent heart surgery. He died in his villa in Vienna. The entrepreneur has four children. Lugner was known for high-profile hosting of international celebrities at the famed Vienna Opera Ball. His guest list included stars like Kim Kardashian, Sophia Loren, Jane Fonda, Pamela Anderson, and Goldie Hawn.

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer paid homage to Lugner in a posting on the micro-blogging platform X, calling him a “vibrant Austrian original” who remained “true to himself” throughout his life. In a remarkable turn of events in his personal life, Lugner married for the sixth time only two months ago. He said on June 1, as he wed 42-year-old Simone Reilander, “It will be the last marriage,” according to PEOPLE.

Lugner was also known for his extravagant spending on celebrity dates. In 2014, he paid $500,000 for Kim Kardashian to attend the Vienna Opera Ball with him, though he later expressed frustration over her not adhering to the event’s schedule. He had previously paid Lindsay Lohan $150,000 to be his date in 2010. Most recently, he brought Priscilla Presley, the ex-wife of Elvis Presley, to the event.

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Apart from this socialite status, Lugner tried his hand in politics. In 1998, he polled almost 10 percent for the presidential vote. He again stood as president in 2016 although he finished last with just more than two percent of the vote. Lugner was born in Vienna on 11 October 1932 and constructed the “Lugner City” shopping centre, which now serves as a monument to his memory. His persona, Lugner had been the leader of Viennese society and often hit tabloids with various statements, even hitting the point of controversy.