The mother-in-law of Bernie Ecclestone, the billionaire and CEO of the Formula One racing group, has been kidnapped in Sao Paulo, Brazil. A leading Brazilian news agency has reported the kidnappers are demanding $36.5 million in ransom for her safe return. Aparecida Schunck, the 67-year-old mother of Mr Ecclestone’s wife Fabiana Flosi, was abducted on Friday night. Ecclestone is reportedly worth a staggering $3.1 billion, making him one of the most powerful and influential figure in the sporting world.
Ecclestone met his current wife, Fabiana Flosi, at the 2009 Brazilian Grand Prix. The two married only three years later in 2012. The location of Flosi’s mother, Aparecida Schunck, is currently unknown and police have declined to comment on the abduction. Several news and media companies have confirmed the kidnapping.
The news comes as the start of the 2016 Olympic games looms on the horizon. The games will be centered in Rio with some events taking place in Sao Paulo, where Schnuck was reportedly kidnapped. Kidnapping was extremely common in Brazil but has tapered off in recent years. In 2002 a kidnapping occured every 24-27 hours until an anti-kidnap division was created.
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