Paris—A penis enlargement procedure cost a billionaire diamond trader his life, as he suffered a heart attack on the operating table of an upscale medical clinic in the City of Lights.
According to local media reports, Ehud Arye Laniado, 65, ultimately died from complications during surgery.
The Belgian-Israeli dual national was said to have suffered the deadly heart attack just moments after getting an unknown substance injected into his penis.
Citing Belgian media reports, The Sun on Wednesday claimed Laniado was a victim of the so-called Napoleon complex”•meaning he was obsessed with his small size.
While Laniado’s net worth is unknown, he had been forced to hand over more than $5 billion in penalties to Belgian authorities after getting into trouble for tax evasion. His company, Omega Diamonds, confirmed his death in a statement Wednesday.
“Farewell to a visionary businessman,” the statement said.
The diamond trader “always focused on his appearance and how others perceived him,” according to one friend, who spoke to Belgium’s GVA newspaper.
He reportedly checked his bank account “multiple times a day” just to make himself feel better.
“It turned out that he did have some talents,” explained one friend. “Internationally, he was one of the biggest experts in valuing raw diamonds.”