The next big bang in the investigation into René Benko’s bankrupt Signa Holding. In addition to the allegations in Germany and Liechtenstein, there is now suspected fraud in Austria for the second time – an Austrian bank is said to have been defrauded, again with millions in damages.
According to information from the “Krone”, a further investigation was initiated by the Public Prosecutor’s Office for Economic and Corruption (WKStA). Explosive: Benko himself is mentioned here as a suspect. Next to him is another Signa manager and Signa Prime Holding GmbH as a company.
The specific accusation in the case: An Austrian bank was misled about the financial situation of the Signa Group when it granted a loan in the summer of 2023.
25 million euros in damage
At this point – WKStA suspects – everyone involved should have already known that such a loan could no longer be repaid. The damage resulting from this alleged deception is estimated at more than 25 million euros.
According to judicial insiders, the reason for this investigation was a complaint from lawyer Johannes Zink. At the request of the “Krone”, he did not want to provide a substantive statement about ongoing investigations. Johannes Zink: “I can only confirm that our law firm has filed several criminal complaints for various victims in the Signa case. This is about fraud, infidelity and fraudulent Krida.”
Pre-trial detention possible?
Of course, the presumption of innocence still applies to Benko and Co. However, judicial insiders now expect new coercive measures – for example, (further) house searches would be possible. But pre-trial detention can no longer be ruled out, it is said. For example, there is a risk of blackout and escape.
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.
