Stockholm - The wife of one of Norway's wealthiest businessmen
remains missing but her family "hopes" she is still alive, the family
attorney said Wednesday on the eve of her disappearance a year ago.
Anne-Elisabeth Hagen went missing on October 31, 2018 from her
Lorenskog home in Akershus county, near Oslo.
"The family hopes, but does not know if Anne-Elisabeth is still
alive," attorney Svein Holden said, the NTB news agency reported.
Holden told reporters that the family has "answered all messages"
from the suspected kidnappers, adding that the last contact from them
was on July 8.
Police Inspector Tommy Broeske talks during a media conference regarding the disappearance of Anne-Elisabeth Falkevik Hagen, the wife of one of Norway's richest men, who has been missing since October last year, in Lillestroem, Norway. Picture: Carina Johansen / NTB scanpix via AP
"The most recent message sent from us was in October," he told
reporters in Oslo, adding that there had been no reply.
In late June, police said they feared Hagen had been murdered,
revising their main hypothesis concerning her disappearance.
A view of the home of Norwegian billionaire Tom Hagen and his wife Anne-Elisabeth Falkevik Hagen in Fjellhamar, Norway. Picture: Tore Meek, NTB scanpix via AP
A ransom request could have been an attempt at covering up the
suspected murder, police had said at the time, noting a lack of proof
of life and a long period without contact with the alleged
kidnappers.
The payment was requested in cryptocurrency, which is difficult to
trace.
Police Inspector Tommy Broeske talks during a media conference regarding the disappearance of Anne-Elisabeth Falkevik Hagen, the wife of one of Norway's richest men, who has been missing since October last year, in Lillestroem, Norway. Picture: Carina Johansen / NTB scanpix via AP
The attorney said Hagen's family was anxious to find out what has
happened to her, and were considering offering a reward for
information.
Police with a dog in a boat search Langevannet near the home of Anne-Elisabeth Hagen, who is missing since October 2018, in Lorenskog, Norway. Picture: Lise Aserud/NTB Scanpix/via Reuters
Her husband, Tom Hagen, is an investor with business interests in
power generation and real estate, and is estimated to be worth 1.7
billion kroner (200 million dollars), according to financial site
Kapital.