Hans K Rausing, the Tetra Pak billionaire, was arrested on suspicion of drug possession on Tuesday after his wife Eva was found dead at their Chelsea home. Police say Eva's death is 'unexplained', but speculation points to a drug overdose. This is not the first time the couple have faced police attention; in 2008, Eva was found with crack cocaine and heroin at a US embassy gala, leading to a search of their home where £2,000 of drugs were discovered.
Hans K, 49, is the grandson of Ruben Rausing, who invented the Tetra Pak carton in 1953. The family moved to the UK in 1982 to avoid Swedish taxes, and by 1993, Hans and his brother Gad were the wealthiest men in Britain. Hans sold his half of the business to Gad in 1995 for £3.5bn. Gad died in 2000.
The Rausing family has a history of philanthropy. Hans K and Eva established the Eva and Hans K Rausing Trust, which donated to anti-drugs charities. Prince Charles, a friend of the couple, called Hans 'one very special philanthropist'. Eva was co-patron of Action on Addiction with the Duchess of Cambridge.
Despite their wealth, the family has faced tragedy. Hans K's sister Sigrid Rausing, who owns the £20m Aubrey House in Holland Park, funds the literary magazine Granta and the Sigrid Rausing Trust, which has given £177.4m to various causes. The 2008 arrest caused embarrassment, especially after Hans senior celebrated his golden wedding at his 900-acre East Sussex estate.
The couple's drug problems have been a source of newspaper moralising, with parallels drawn to King Midas. Hans K's reputation for reticence has been underscored by his silence following the 2008 arrest, while Eva expressed regret, saying she had 'made a serious mistake'.
