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Frank Farian — the founder of groups Boney M. and Milli Vanilli — has died at the age of 82. The German producer’s agency released a statement Tuesday confirming that Farian had died peacefully at his home in Miami.

Although his cause of death was not immediately revealed, Farian said that he had gone through heart valve replacement surgery in 2022. He told the magazine Bild at the time that the surgery saved his life.

Farian founded R&b pop duo Milli Vanilli — comprised of Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus — in the late 1980s.

German record producer and singer/songwriter Frank Farian, who founded Milli Vanilli and the disco-pop group Boney M., has died. He was 82.

His family released a statement confirming he died “peacefully” at his home in Miami, Florida.

Farian was the brains behind the pop duo Milli Vanilli, who was best known for their songs “Blame It On The Rain” and “Girl You Know It’s True.” He later admitted to the lip-syncing scandal that led to the revocation of the duo’s 1990 Grammy for Best New Artist. It also led to multiple lawsuits in the U.S.

The Germany-born producer started his career off as a singer by forming a band called Frankie Boys Schatten. He then branched out as a solo artist before joining vocalists Liz Mitchell, Marcia Barrett, front man Bobby Farrell and dancer Maizie Williams in 1976 to create Boney M. The group was big in Europe with songs like “Daddy Cool,...