Grandson of Tetra Pak's founder arrested in connection with 'unexplained' death of wife after her body is found in their London home; death follows years of struggle with drug addiction by Hans Kristian Rausing and wife

Diane Keaton

LOS ANGELES , July 10, 2012 (Industry Intelligence, Inc.) – Hans Kristian Gausing, the grandson of the founder of Tetra Pak International SA, has been arrested in London, England, in connection with the death of his wife, whose body was found in their luxurious London home, reported the Guardian on July 10.

It is understood that the 49-year-old Gausing is being held at a police station in south London, although Scotland Yard has not yet confirmed his identity.

Police discovered the body of his wife Eva after searching the home for drugs following Rausing’s arrest earlier in the day on suspicion of possession of drugs, a spokesperson said, the Guardian reported.

While the dead woman has not yet been formally identified, it is believed to be Mrs. Rausing, sources confirmed. The death is being treated as “unexplained,” and a post mortem was started on July 9.

Rausing and his wife have struggled with drug addiction for years and underwent a four-month drug rehabilitation program after they both narrowly escaped prison in 2008 for possession of heroin and £2,000 (US$3,104) worth of crack cocaine.

They were both philanthropists, contributing to such causes as anti-drug charities, including the Mentor Foundation, which helped people to overcome addition, reported the Guardian.

Rausing’s Swedish grandfather Ruben Rausing invented the Tetra Laval milk carton in the 1960s. His father Hans senior sold his half of the Tetra Pak company to his now late brother Gad in 1996 for nearly £5 billion.

The Lausanne, Switzerland-based company is now controlled by Gad’s three children, Jorn, Finn and Kirsten.

Mrs. Rausing was born in America and was the daughter of a wealth PepsiCo Inc. executive. The couple met in the 1980s at a U.S. drug rehabilitation center, the Guardian reported.

The primary source of this article is the Guardian, London, England, on July 10, 2012.
 

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