Maurizio Gucci was a member of one of Italy’s most prestigious fashion families. The family’s empire was started by his grandfather, Guccio Gucci, in the year 1923, after he opened a small shop in the city of Florence. Maurizio Gucci was born on September 26, 1948, in Florence to Rodolfo Gucci and Sandra Ravel.
After Guccio’s demise, half of the family business was inherited by Rodolfo. Furthermore, Maurizio was raised by his father. Although the company was doing well and making profits regularly, there was an internal conflict and struggle for power within the family. Things only worsened after Rodolfo Gucci died in 1983 and Maurizio inherited half of the company. This meant he owned more shares than anyone else.
According to Oxygen True Crime, on March 27, 1995, a hitman gunned down Maurizio Gucci while he was on his way to work. Initially, authorities believed that Maurizio’s financial problems made him an enemy, which ultimately led to his murder. He was known for his lavish lifestyle and he owed millions of dollars. Furthermore, the bank threatened to seize his shares in the company if he failed to repay his debts.
However, upon further investigation, authorities discovered that Maurizio Gucci’s assassination was orchestrated by his ex-wife, Patrizia Reggiani. Maurizio Gucci and Patrizia Reggiani met for the first time in the 1970s. They fell in love and it didn’t take long for Maurizio to propose to Patrizia. Maurizio’s father, Rodolfo, was against this marriage, and reports suggest that he even asked the Cardinal of Milan to prevent it.
In the year 2021, Ridley Scott directed a film titled House of Gucci, in which Adam Driver played Maurizio Gucci and Lady Gaga played Patrizia Reggiani.
Who killed Maurizio Gucci?
Maurizio Gucci and Patrizia Reggiani tied the knot in 1972. People close to Patrizia stated that she revered her new-found status and even tried to make business decisions for her husband. The couple had two daughters, but Maurizio soon began getting frustrated with Patrizia’s domineering attitude.
Maurizio soon began an affair with a 25-year-old sailing enthusiast named Sheree Loud and decided to leave his wife. According to Loud, in May 1985, Maurizio packed his bags and told his Patrizia that he was heading to Florence for business and never went back to her.
Sarah Gay Forden, Bloomberg editor/ author of the book, House of Gucci said, “It must have been incomprehensible to her because you know. They had built so much of what they had together, in her mind. And I think that it was also the fact that he couldn’t tell it to her face was also indicative of how far apart they’d already grown.”
Patrizia Reggiani knew she was losing her ties with the Gucci family. Furthermore, her resentment only grew when she learned that her husband was moving in with interior designer, Paola Franchi. Sarah Gay Forden said, ” Her anger starts to grow as she realizes she’s really suffering this deep loss. And it’s really a loss of her own identity too because she had come to identify herself with Gucci.”
Maurizio could not divorce Reggiani for several years but it was finalised in 1994. According to People, the court found Patrizia Reggiani guilty in 1998 for orchestrating her husband’s murder. Furthermore, four other individuals were involved in the plan. 18 years after jail time, she was released in 2016.
Patrizia Reggiani was born on December 2, 1948. She is currently 75 years old.
