A couple in Graz, Austria, married and divorced 12 times over 43 years, allegedly to rig the pension system so that each union resulted in pension payments and severance pay, Newsweek reported.
The case began when the wife, now 73, initially lost her widow’s pension after remarrying in 1982. The couple divorced in 1988, restoring the widow’s pension.
They repeat this cycle multiple times—getting married, divorcing, and reaping financial benefits—with each marriage lasting about three years. Women receive a pension or compensation after each divorce but lose it when they remarry.
By the time of their latest divorce in May 2022, the woman had received more than €326,000 in pensions and payouts.
After her 12th divorce, the authorities became suspicious when she asked for another pension payment, but was refused. A lawsuit was filed against the pension fund, but the Supreme Court ruled in March 2023 that multiple divorces were an abuse of the system.
The case has prompted a formal fraud investigation by the Styrian state police and a trial is expected soon.
Witnesses said the couple’s relationship was far from tumultuous as the documents suggested, Newsweek reported. Neighbors and relatives claim that despite the official divorce, the two are still together, sleeping in the same bed and living as a couple.
Similar cases, such as what happened in Ireland in 2022, have also attracted international attention over the exploitation of pension schemes.
