An heir to the immense Ray-Ban fortune says he’s been addicted to drugs and slept with over 2,000 women — purportedly the legacy of a dad who never loved him — in a shocking new interview in which he also took shots at the leadership of the company that owns the brand.
The revelations from 31-year-old Leonardo Maria Del Vecchio – who’s worth over $5 billion – come amid a bitter real-life “Succession” feud that could determine the future of EssilorLuxottica. It houses glasses giants including Oakley, Persol and LensCrafters in addition to Ray-Ban, which has a high-profile partnership with Meta on its AI-powered frames.
The prodigal son known for his love of Ferraris and DJing said in a video podcast with Italian rapper Fedez that he resorted to substances because his late father, who he was named after, “gave us all but love” and “I have filled the gaps I felt with drugs.”
Del Vecchio said in the interview published Monday that his drug of choice has been benzodiazepine, which is prescribed for anxiety and sleeping disorders. He went on to suggest he’s gotten control of his habit — which he compared to “the night” — but not completely.
“That darkness was filled and filled, yes, also by drugs,” he said in the English-dubbed interview, adding that “my night ended with Bianca,” his daughter.
“I haven’t grabbed onto it with all the strength of my hands yet, so I’m not saying I’m out of it forever but, yes, this time I do see the light,” Del Vecchio continued.
“You can treat the symptoms, and you have to look at the cause and drugs don’t let you see it — they are in fact the consequence of it,” he added.
Del Vecchio, the owner of a Milan nightclub that hosted rapper 50 Cent for its 2025 opening, also shared a jaw-dropping stat about his love life.
“I can say that I’ve probably made love with over 2,000 women, and I won over 90% of them by singing ‘Hero,’” he said, apparently referencing the 2001 hit by pop star Enrique Iglesias.
“The problem with ‘Hero’ is that you sing it a third time and you lose your voice — but it works, anyway,” he added.
Del Vecchio quit his jobs as chief strategy officer of EssilorLuxottica and president of Ray-Ban over the summer, about four years after the death of his father, saying at the time he would “devote himself to new entrepreneurial projects.”
He is one of eight heirs to the massive fortune left by his father and has been embroiled in a bitter feud over control of the company.
Del Vecchio recently failed to win support from the family holding company for loans needed to buy out two of his siblings for 10 billion euros, or about $11.2 billion, according to a Bloomberg report.
In the interview, he blasted the company’s current CEO Francesco Milleri – his former mentor and the man his father hand-picked to lead the business – for the company’s disastrous performance.
The French-Italian firm has been in a tailspin, with shares cratering about 46% this year- the worst showing in the Euro Stoxx 50, Bloomberg noted. It has a current market value of about 68.1 billion euros.
“There has not been the right vision after my father. And it is the market that says it, not me,” Del Vecchio fumed.
“My personal relationship with Francesco is not the issue here,” he added, though he insisted the CEO has failed to deliver results.
The governance structure at the heart of the conflict dates back to the death of the elder Del Vecchio in June 2022. The billionaire founder divided gave each of his heirs a 12.5% stake in holding company Delfin.
The arrangement was designed to preserve balance within the family but also created a situation in which major decisions require broad consensus.
Delfin holds about 32.4% of EssilorLuxottica, as well as major positions in banking and insurance firms including UniCredit and Monte dei Paschi di Siena.
Del Vecchio has fought for more control, arguing that consolidating ownership would help execute his father’s vision and provide greater stability for the holding company.
He has pushed to boost his stake from 12.5% to 37.5%, which would make him by far the largest shareholder in Delfin and potentially end years of uncertainty surrounding the succession of the empire built by his father.
Del Vecchio has been in controversial headlines for years.
In 2023, he became engaged to soap star Jessica Serfaty, with the pair celebrating their romance with appearances at the Met Ball, among other glitzy outings.
But soon after, Serfaty – a former girlfriend of Ed Westwick, influencer Logan Paul and Niall Horan of the musical group One Direction – accused Del Vecchio of abusing her. She quickly withdrew the allegations, but later told the New York Times that was only because she felt pressure to do so. Del Vecchio did not comment on that story to the Gray Lady.
He has disclosed about 950 million euros in debt, including about 500 million euros in personal borrowings and the rest tied to investments through his LMDV Capital, according to Bloomberg.
EssilorLuxottica didn’t respond to a request for comment, though the company’s board and senior executives have previously supported Milleri.
The Post has sought comment from Del Vecchio and EssilorLuxottica.
