In a scheme that seems straight out of a Hollywood script, an Austrian couple has been accused of marrying and divorcing each other 12 times over 43 years to exploit a pension loophole, raking in an estimated £270,000.
Despite the legal drama suggested by their repeated divorces, neighbors and relatives described their relationship as a “model marriage,” with the pair living together, sharing a bed, and seemingly leading a happy life throughout their whirlwind of weddings and separations.
The alleged scam began in 1981 when the wife, now 73, started receiving a widow’s pension after the death of her first husband. She remarried in 1982 to her current partner, but under Austrian law, her widow’s pension was terminated. However, as compensation, she received a payout of €27,000 (£22,400).
This compensation sparked a cycle that investigators say lasted for decades. Each time the couple divorced, the wife’s widow’s pension resumed. And with each new marriage to the same man, she qualified for another €27,000 payout.
The Marriage Carousel
The couple’s creative use of marriage laws resulted in 12 weddings and divorces over 43 years, with each marriage lasting approximately three years on paper. Witnesses revealed, however, that the couple’s separation was purely administrative. They never truly split and continued living under the same roof.
By 2022, the pension fund refused to continue payouts after the wife’s latest claim. Outraged, the couple reportedly sued the pension authority. But Austria’s Supreme Court dismissed their case in March 2024, labeling their actions as an abuse of the system.
Fraud Investigation Underway
Following the court’s decision, Austrian police launched a formal fraud investigation. Authorities are now scrutinizing the couple’s actions, which have been deemed exploitative of a loophole intended to provide financial support for widows.
For now, the couple remains married, as their 12th divorce was not legally recognized. A trial is anticipated, with Austrian media closely following this unusual case.
