German billionaire Adolf Merckle has committed suicide after his business empire ran into trouble in the global economic slowdown. In a statement his family said he had been "broken" by the financial crisis, and had taken his own life. Mr Merckle ran up losses of about 400m euros (£363m;$535m) last year due to wrong-way bets on Volkswagen shares. He was ranked as the world's 94th richest person in 2008, and his family controls a number of German companies. The 74-year-old's body was found on Monday near railway tracks in southern Germany. Officials said there was no evidence that anyone else was to blame.
German billionaire Adolf Merckle has committed suicide after his business empire ran into trouble in the global economic slowdown.
In a statement his family said he had been "broken" by the financial crisis, and had taken his own life.
Mr Merckle ran up losses of about 400m euros (£363m;$535m) last year due to wrong-way bets on Volkswagen shares.
He was ranked as the world's 94th richest person in 2008, and his family controls a number of German companies.
The 74-year-old's body was found on Monday near railway tracks in southern Germany. Officials said there was no evidence that anyone else was to blame.
Officials said there was no evidence that anyone else was to blame.
For the death? or the collapse of the companies? Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.
