Nina Wang | One of world's richest, 69

Nina Wang, 69, a Hong Kong businesswoman who turned her slain husband's fortune into a real-estate empire that made her one of the world's richest women, died Tuesday.

The death was confirmed by her spokesman, Ringo Wong. He did not describe the cause of death. Hong Kong media reported that Ms. Wang had ovarian cancer that spread.

Born Kung Yu-sam in Shanghai, she moved to Hong Kong in the 1950s with Teddy Wang, who founded the Chinachem Group pharmaceutical company.

Teddy Wang was abducted in 1990 as he left Hong Kong's exclusive Jockey Club. The family paid a $33 million ransom, but he was never returned. His body was never found, and he was declared dead in 1999.

In her husband's absence, Nina Wang built Chinachem into a huge private-property developer, with office towers and apartment complexes throughout Hong Kong.

Forbes magazine ranked her 204th on the world's richest list, with a fortune of $4.2 billion. The couple had no children, and speculation was high on who would inherit the billions.

Ms. Wang captivated the public with her sometimes-pigtails and garish, girlish outfits. She was nicknamed "Little Sweetie," the Chinese name of a princesslike character from a Japanese fairy-tale cartoon. - Associated Press