In the wake of the collapse of the Signa Group, the Vienna public prosecutor’s office is now also investigating the company’s founder René Benko himself. It is about allegations of loan fraud.
René Benko, founder of the insolvent Signa Group, has once again found himself in the sights of the Austrian justice system. The Vienna Economic and Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (WKStA) has initiated investigations into suspected fraud against the Tyrolean investor, reported ORF.
Then it’s about a 25 million loan from an Austrian bank that would have expired last summer but was then extended. As the de facto managing director, Benko is said to have led the financing discussions and deceived the bank about the Signa Group’s financial situation.
Benko’s lawyer Norbert Wess confirmed the investigation to ORF. “The allegations that have been made here are baseless and will be completely rejected, said Wess. “We have already been given access to the files and will present our view of the matter to the WKStA as quickly as possible.”
Multiple investigations
In the wake of the collapse of Benko’s network of companies, there are already several investigation complexes in Germany. Since March, the Munich public prosecutor’s office has been investigating suspected money laundering at the Signa Group. Other public prosecutor’s offices in Germany are also involved in the case, but no specific suspects have been named yet.
Since the end of February, the economic crime department of the Bochum public prosecutor’s office has also been investigating those responsible at Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof and two other people on suspicion of breach of trust, among other things. It will also be examined whether there is a connection with another investigation that has been underway against Galeria managers since the beginning of 2023.
Repeated Corruption allegations
Even before the collapse, Benko, now 46, or his group of companies were in the sights of the judiciary. In November 2012, the Vienna Regional Court considered the accusation of attempted bribery of a high-ranking Croatian politician by Benko and his tax advisor to be proven.
Another corruption trial against the Tyrolean ended with an acquittal in January 2023. There are further investigations by the Economic and Corruption Public Prosecutor’s Office (WKStA) into an alleged attempt to bribe a high-ranking official in the Vienna Ministry of Finance.