In a bizarre case from Graz, Austria, a couple managed to exploit legal loopholes by divorcing and remarrying 12 times over 43 years. Their motive? To claim a widow’s pension and secure government benefits.

The scheme dates back to 1981 when the wife, after her first husband’s death, began receiving a widow’s pension. Austrian law stipulates that a widow retains the pension unless she remarries. To exploit this rule, the woman married her second husband shortly after, only to divorce him 12 times in total while continuing to live together.

Investigations revealed that every 2.5 years, the woman claimed an additional lump sum equivalent to 2.5 times her annual pension. Following each payout, the couple remarried, repeating the cycle. This manipulation allowed them to accumulate a staggering €326,000 over four decades.

The scheme unraveled in 2022 when the pension authority denied her claim following their 12th divorce. Upon investigation, it was discovered that the couple had never truly separated. They lived together, shared meals, and even slept in the same bed, leading neighbors to view them as an inseparable, loving pair.

This legal abuse prompted Austria’s Supreme Court to issue a ruling in March, declaring their actions a clear misuse of the law. The court invalidated their latest divorce and sparked reforms to close the loophole.

The couple faces fraud charges, and the case has become a national talking point. The wife, now 73, and her husband will both stand trial for exploiting the legal system to their benefit.