Rene Benko, the Austrian magnate at the centre of the billion-dollar collapse of the Signa group, was arrested in his villa in Innsbruck. The newspaper reports Kronen Zeitung. The arrest was reportedly confirmed to the newspaper The basic also from his lawyer, Norbert Wess.
Benko investigated in four countries: the reasons for the arrest
Benko, a 47-year-old billionaire, is currently investigated in four countries, including Italy. Last December, the Trento Attorney General's Office had requested his arrest on charges of real estate speculation in Trentino and Alto Adige. However, the Austrian authorities had refused this measure, given that Benko is an Austrian citizen.
The tycoon was arrested on the orders of the Vienna Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, among other things on suspicion of havingr “diverted” part of the bankruptcy estate. According to investigators, Benko is the actual owner of the private foundation “Laura”, which he had kept hidden as part of his personal insolvency, thus concealing assets. The 47-year-old's lawyer said that the The charges against his client are “totally unfounded” and reserves the right to ask for the release of his client because "the accusations are inconsistent".
In Austria, there are several proceedings against him with various lines of investigation. The latest concerns the alleged ""use for personal purposes" of over one million euros of Covid funds for his luxury hotel Chalet N in Lech am Arlberg. The Wksta is shedding light on the role in mega-crash of his Signa empire.
In Germany, instead, the Berlin and Munich public prosecutors are investigating, among other things, the insolvency of the famous and historic KaDeWe department store. The investigators in Liechtenstein they are analyzing the network of foundations of the tycoon's group and the possible money laundering. So far, however, only Italy, on the initiative of the Trento Prosecutor's Office, had requested his arrest.
Who is René Benko?
Benko is an Austrian entrepreneur, active in real estate, media and retail. He was the founder of Signa, considered the largest private real estate conglomerate in Austria, also active on a large scale in Germany and Northern Italy. At its peak, the group had assets of nearly $30 billion, with assets such as the Chrysler Building in New York or l 'Bauer Hotel in Venice in your wallet.
At the end of November 2023, Signa Holding declared bankruptcy for a debt of 10,3 billion euros while Benko, forced by shareholders to resign in March 2024, declared personal insolvency.
