German Billionaire Commits Suicide After Betting Against VW Share Values

In killing himself German billionaire Adolf Merckle has become the latest casualty of the global financial crisis, his family saying on Tuesday he was broken by the struggle to salvage their business empire.

Merckle, who was the world's 94th-richest person in 2008 according to Forbes magazine, spent his life building a business conglomerate with about 100,000 employees.

The empire was poised to come crashing down after his family made wrong-way bets on skyrocketing Volkswagen shares.

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FillorKill - 1/6/2009 2:47:15 PM

+1 Boost

Another case of not being able to take the heat and getting out of the kitchen.

AmazonPrinceIS350 - 1/6/2009 3:50:14 PM

-5 Boost

He jumped in front of a train Ground Chuck & by the way stop pinning Toyota against Nissan because they are like peanut butter & jelly.

DennyCrane - 1/6/2009 4:49:50 PM

0 Boost

It's sad some people sell out to money to the point they don't think they can cope without it, it's just money. I feel for the family and friends left behind. Mr Merckle I hope you found the peace in death you failed to find in life. RIP

Kthorn - 1/6/2009 5:14:33 PM

-1 Boost

Maybe he had mad cow disease?

t_bone - 1/6/2009 7:40:50 PM

-1 Boost

The thing is, it isn't just money. He built an empire of people who he let down, thousands of families of employees, shareholders, etc. now experiencing crisis...that's what he couldn't cope with. I actually respect this kind of suicide.

Kthorn - 1/6/2009 10:39:31 PM

0 Boost

T-bone your last comment is insane. Letting people down is a fact of life for people in his position, and suicide is NEVER the solution. It is perhaps the most selfish act one could ever committ.

_43LE - 1/6/2009 5:13:33 PM

+4 Boost

So, did he go from Billionaire to zero or just Millionaire? I'd be very happy being millionaire...

KZ258 - 1/6/2009 6:03:38 PM

+7 Boost

what the heck happened to the website?

Designer1 - 1/6/2009 6:13:41 PM

0 Boost

wow, how much greedy can people be? throwing your life away for money? wow, I wonder if he had helped some needy person with his money if that person's life depended on him.

mr_alexander - 1/7/2009 11:39:30 AM

+3 Boost

Having money may not buy you happiness but losing it sure can make you wanna kill yourself.. My condolences to his family, the only real victims of selfishly taking your life.