A couple from Graz, Austria, has been accused of abusing divorce laws by repeatedly marrying and divorcing over the past 35 years, reportedly receiving a total of €326,000 from the government.
The couple is now facing charges of large-scale fraud, according to the newspaper Kurier.
The couple, both in their 70s, first married in 1982 after the woman’s first husband passed away. Six years later, they divorced for the first time. After each divorce, the woman had the option to either receive a widow’s pension or a lump sum equivalent to the pension for the 2.5 years following her husband’s death. The couple went through this process 12 times, repeatedly receiving the financial benefits.
Police investigated the couple and found that despite divorcing, they had never actually lived apart. The couple remains legally married, as their most recent divorce, filed in May 2022, was not recognized by the authorities.
The couple has been charged with large-scale fraud, though they deny the accusations.
