A big bang in the secret financial center of Liechtenstein, just one day after the revelations of the ‘Krone’ about the second discreet foundation of René Benko, called Arual: the public prosecutor’s office in the principality confirmed to ‘Inside Paradeplatz’ that it was a criminal proceeding had opened against the Austrian financial juggler.
Frank Haun, the chief public prosecutor, explained to the usually well-informed Swiss financial media: “At the request of the public prosecutor, a preliminary investigation is being conducted at the Princely Regional Court against a natural person and against unknown perpetrators on suspicion of the crimes of fraudulent Krida and money laundering.” It is trading This is an “independent domestic procedure,” Haun told “Inside Paradeplatz.”
Liechtenstein is “currently not part of the coordinated investigation group,” Haun said: “The presumption of innocence applies.” It goes on to say: “As the proceedings are currently ongoing, no information is provided on the specific status of the investigation, nor on legal entities.”
Asset shifts
Over the past two weeks, the ‘Krone’ had reported intensively on the two Benko foundations in the Principality: shortly before the collapse of the Signa conglomerate, the Ingbe Foundation had acquired several villas on Lake Garda through an exchange transaction previously owned by the Signa Holding was financially distressed.
The Arual Foundation, in turn, owns the Villa Ansaldi in Sirmione (Italy) through intermediary companies and was apparently intended to serve as a ‘protective wall’ for Benko if his Innsbruck Laura Foundation were to encounter major turbulence.
René Benko and possible accomplices are of course presumed innocent.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
