Inside the Ray-Ban Family Feud Over a Billion-Dollar Succession Battle

He built a fortune on some of the most recognizable sunglasses in the world. But the heirs to that empire are now locked in a family fight that shows little sign of easing.

One of Italy’s richest dynasties has been drawn into a bruising battle worth billions, as rival factions compete for influence over the legacy behind Ray-Ban.

Beyond the polished world of fashion show front rows and Met Gala appearances, the family connected to the world’s best-known eyewear brands has been engulfed by a dispute more reminiscent of a prestige television drama than a corporate succession plan, with inheritance tensions now playing out in court.

At the center of the story is Leonardo Del Vecchio, who rose from modest circumstances as a tool-and-die apprentice in Milan to establish Luxottica in 1961. Over the decades, he transformed the company into a global powerhouse, acquiring brands such as Ray-Ban and Oakley before combining with a French lens manufacturer to create EssilorLuxottica, the largest eyewear group in the world.

By the time Del Vecchio died in June 2022, he was one of Italy’s wealthiest men, with a fortune estimated at $25.5 billion. But his estate also left behind the makings of a major family conflict.

Instead of naming one clear successor, Del Vecchio divided his stake in the private holding company that controls EssilorLuxottica. Each of his six children received 12.5 percent, while his widow, Nicoletta Zampillo, 68, was allocated 25 percent. Zampillo later transferred half of her share to Rocco Basilico, 36, her son from her first marriage, creating an eight-way division of power.

Del Vecchio’s six children come from three relationships. Claudio, 69, Marisa, 67, and Paola, 65, are from his first marriage to Luciana Nervo. Leonardo Maria, 31, is his son with Zampillo, his second wife. His two youngest sons, Luca, 24, and Clemente, 21, are from his relationship with Sabina Grossi, who previously served as his head of investor relations.

The eight shares of Delfin are worth an estimated $3.5 billion each. As of 2023, that makes Del Vecchio’s heirs billionaires, cementing their ranking among Italy’s richest residents.

When it came to the over $125 million in inheritance tax, however, weeks passed before a decision was reached within the family. 

The hefty inheritance tax, combined with the transfer of two homes owned by Delfin (worth about $87 million) to Zampillo, and the transfer of 2.15 million EssilorLuxottica shares (worth about $307 million) to CEO Francesco Milleri, plus 22,000 shares to manager Romolo Bardin, left the estate temporarily in limbo. 

In his will, Del Vecchio did not specify who would replace him as president of Delfin, according to Italian news agency Ansa.

‘This is a succession planning failure playing out in public,’ business expert Brad Sugars told the Daily Mail. ‘When founders don’t architect airtight governance before they’re gone, families fight the battle after – expensively and visibly.’

Del Vecchio’s heirs chose to accept the inheritance ‘with benefit of inventory,’ meaning all assets and debts were identified before they decided to keep or sell – a way for the recipients to look at an estate before accepting the potential financial risks that come with it.

The potential extra amount owed would’ve been around $45.5 million for each of the six children. But even with the inventory process finished, the heirs reportedly had not yet reached an agreement on how to divide everything by September 2023.  

At the time, Leonardo Maria told the Via Solferino newspaper, ‘If I think we haven’t yet managed to close the succession, I’m honestly ashamed.’ 

In early 2024, the family members neared a ‘new agreement’ on the management of Del Vecchio’s estate, according to Forbes Italy. 

Some heirs asked for changes to Delfin’s internal rules that would make a clear path for any shareholder who wants to sell some or all of their stake. The proposed rules set out when and how an heir could exit their investment, rather than leaving the process open to negotiation each time. 

Enter Leonardo Maria.

Leonardo Maria is the only remaining heir who works at the company.

He first joined in 2017, eventually becoming the president of Ray Ban, which EssilorLuxottica acquired for $640 million in 1999. 

Recently, he laid out a plan to become the majority shareholder in the parent company. The proposal focuses on buying out the combined 25 percent stake in Delfin held by his siblings Luca and Paola. 

If successful, the deal would triple Leonardo Maria’s holding from 12.5 percent to 37.5 percent, making him the majority shareholder and putting him firmly in control of his family’s empire.

But the transaction depends on whether he can secure the $11.5 billion in financing from UniCredit, BNP Paribas and Crédit Agricole, which he would then use to pay his siblings in exchange for their shares. 

Last month, Leonardo Maria’s half-brother Rocco challenged some of Delfin’s proposal in court in an attempt to block his sibling from becoming the majority shareholder. 

The half-brothers have since reached a provisional agreement. But in the aftermath, Leonardo Maria shared a statement saying his deal hasn’t been finalized because of ‘issues of sustainability and risk allocation.’

‘On 30 June, we will be addressing something much deeper: the very nature and future of Delfin,’ Leonardo Maria wrote in a letter, accusing Delfin’s leadership of failing to explain why concerns about his proposed buyout were raised only after shareholders approved parts of his deal.

The letter comes less than two weeks before Delfin’s upcoming shareholders’ meeting, scheduled for June 30.

And while Ray Ban may be the most recognizable consumer-facing brand, the real prize is Delfin’s industry-wide influence over EssilorLuxottica, Generali, UniCredit and Monte dei Paschi. 

The latter is one of the most important as the third largest Italian bank. Because Delfin is the majority shareholder, they have sway over curial mergers or acquisitions with competitors like Banco BPM or Intesa Sanpaolo.

Aside from making a splash in the business world, Leonardo Maria made headlines with his personal life by attending the Met Gala, Vogue Italia’s 60th anniversary dinner and other star-studded events in between. 

Leonardo Maria was also married to Anna Castellini Baldissera, having a wedding ceremony in June 2022 before divorcing six months later. 

The two, according to his Instagram account, actually married in September 2021 in the celebration hall of the Royal Palace in Milan. It is unclear why the couple split, according to Vanity Fair.

In July 2023, the heir and American Days of Our Lives star Jessica Serfaty, 35, got engaged.

The couple made a few public appearances – including on the Met Gala red carpet sporting Ray Bans – but Serfaty’s accusation of abuse on social media overshadowed the now-ended relationship. 

‘This is the man who has abused me,’ she said in a faltering voice, pointing the camera at Leonardo Maria. Shortly after, Serfaty posted a photo of herself posing in a bikini along with a statement withdrawing the allegation and defending her then-partner.

‘Leo and I apologize for any who were triggered or affected by yesterday’s story. Sometimes a family can have their own arguments and these should never be made public,’ it stated.

‘We ask that people respect our privacy at this time. I would never stay with an abusive man and which Leonardo Del Vecchio is not.

‘I revoke my words that were driven by anger and not in truth. I take back my words on a guy that will always be my companion, step father [to my child] and family person to me.’

Just weeks later, the couple called off their engagement.

Leonardo Maria was also caught in the middle of an investigation against a Milan-based private intelligence firm, Equalize.

Italian newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore claimed prosecutors are investigating whether people connected to the Equalize intelligence network illegally gathered private information about Leonardo Maria and then used it to pressure or extort him. 

The heir said he was misled by Equalize into believing others were spying on him, while the same company was allegedly collecting information on him behind the scenes. 

The case suggests that some individuals who appeared to be clients of the surveillance operation may actually have been victims of it as well. As of June 2026, the Equalize investigation is still ongoing.

Now, Leonardo Maria is dating 22-year-old Polish content creator and model Kornelia Ski. The couple were spotted together at Cannes Film Festival, Art Basel Hong Kong and an event for Ray-Ban and Dolce & Gabbana.

Their relationship was first reported in early March 2026, shortly after they were spotted together at Milan Fashion Week. 

In April, the two posed with Scuderia Ferrari for the F1 Japanese Grand Prix.

Meanwhile, Rocco was one of only two Del Vecchio heirs who worked at the family business long term, acting as EssilorLuxottica’s chief wearables officer and head of luxury brands until December 2025.

‘After six years supporting our smart eyewear journey, Rocco has decided to pursue his personal interests outside of the company, effective in January 2026,’ EssilorLuxottica said in a statement at the time. 

‘He leaves at a time when our position as the category leader is well defined and when our talent pipeline, particularly in the wearables space, is very healthy.’

Zampillo currently serves as the president of the Fondazione Leonardo Del Vecchio, advancing education and eye care initiatives worldwide. 

Her first marriage to Del Vecchio lasted from 1997 to 2000, after they met through her father’s ties to Luxottica. Leonardo Maria was born in May 1995.

After their separation, the two married again in 2010 and remained together until Del Vecchio’s death. 

Prior to Zampillo, Del Vecchio was married to Luciana Nervo. They had three children together: Claudio, Mariso and Paola Del Vecchio.

He also had a relationship with Sabina Grossi, former Luxottica board member and the company’s former head of investor relations. Although they had two children together, Luca and Clemente, they never wed. 

Claudio, one of Del Vecchio’s oldest children, acted as the Luxottica CEO in the 1990s, leading the acquisition of LensCrafters in 1995. 

After leaving the company, he acquired the luxury clothing store Brooks Brothers in 2001. It filed for bankruptcy in September 2020 and was later acquired by Authentic Brands.

Del Vecchio’s remaining children keep somewhat of a low profile, even if several of them top Forbes’ list of wealthiest businesspeople. Clemente, became the youngest billionaire in the world at just 19 years old when his father died. 

The Daily Mail has reached out to Ray-Ban for comment.