The ties between René Benko and Sebastian Kurz are probably even closer than previously known. Because in the summer of 2023, the ex-chancellor not only secured 100 million in financing for the Signa boss, but also negotiated an extension of an agreement that had existed since 2022.
This involved an agreement worth 150,000 euros per month, which would flow from July 2023 through a Swiss Signa company in a “lump sum” to the short company SK Management and support donors, according to research by “ Krone”. and “News” result. The draft contract was drawn up by Kurz’s former chief of staff Bernhard Bonelli, who has sat with the former Turquoise frontman in an office on Vienna’s Ringstrasse since his departure from politics.
As reported, Kurz should invoice the Signa Group in September 2023 about 2.4 million euros for the activities until the end of June 2023. However, due to the bankruptcy domino in the Benko conglomerate that started in the fall, the former chancellor received only 750,000 euros. Now a spokesperson for Kurz says about the 150,000 euro piece of paper: “This collaboration did not come about. No invoices have been issued and no payments have been made.”
Benko’s banks under the microscope
What is explosive is the fact that the contractual expansion of the joint activities of René Benko and Sebastian Kurz was negotiated at a time when Signa’s house of cards was already in danger of getting into trouble. Benko not only had an internal liquidity problem; Above all, he had an external issue with the European Central Bank (ECB) and the banking regulator, which was investigating the Signa risk at all major credit institutions in Germany and Austria. Accountants had been working for months, including from the Austrian National Bank.
And what does the financial juggler do when he notices that the banks’ nerves are starting to fray? He has the names of important bank accountants examined, as evidenced by the available documents. In fact, Benko should also involve Kurz.
The CVs of the strict examiners
On Sunday, July 23, 2023, 1:31 PM, Benko receives from his personal assistant the resumes of two prominent auditors who have reportedly been investigated by a major consulting firm. One controller works for the ECB, the other for the Austrian National Bank.
Just three minutes later, at 1:34 PM, Benko forwards the careers of BS and ZD (names known to the editors, note) to Sebastian Kurz.
At 1:38 PM Kurz replies to Benko:
“Thank you!”
Two days later, Benko goes one step further: late in the evening, the Signa head also sends the internal organizational structure of the responsible supervisor to Kurz.
Two former chancellors, one goal
Why does Benko send the details of two bank accountants, who are apparently a thorn in Signa’s side, to the former Chancellor? Did Benko want to persuade the well-connected ex-politician Kurz to intervene?
A spokesman for Sebastian Kurz said: “There were no activities.”
In any case, Sebastian Kurz was not the only ex-politician who wanted to involve Benko in the explosive banking issue. Million dollar consultant Alfred Gusenbauer should also devote himself to this delicate issue.
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.
