World's richest woman Liliane Bettencourt dies aged 94

PARIS - Liliane Bettencourt, the L'Oreal cosmetics heiress and the world's richest woman, has died at her home in a chic Parisian suburb. She was 94.

Bettencourt's daughter, Francoise Bettencourt Meyers, said in a written statement on Thursday that her mother "left peacefully" overnight in Neuilly-sur-Seine.

Liliane Bettencourt was the only child of Eugene Schueller, who founded L'Oreal in the early 20th century. Forbes magazine estimated her fortune to be worth $39.5 billion this year.