The former chairman of the supervisory board of Signa paid back 296,000 euros in fees to the liquidator of Signa Prime Selection AG from 2023. A prominent ex-banker refused.
René Benko and his Signa conglomerate caused by far the largest bankruptcies in Austria’s post-war history. Almost a year after the billion-dollar debacle, prominent members of the supervisory board also had to pay. This is evident from the current report of the curator of Signa Prime Selection AG, which is available to ‘Krone’. Signa’s city center properties were bundled into Signa Prime.
Ask back to Gusenbauer
Former SPÖ Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer was head of the control committee for many years. The closest confidante of financial juggler Benko – like all other former members of the supervisory board – received mail from Signa Prime’s curator Norbert Abel on August 12. In the letters, the fees received from 2023 are challenged extrajudicially.
Gusenbauer complied with the request and deposited 296,000 euros into the administrator’s bankruptcy account on October 16. Former casino boss Karl Stoss returned 196,000 euros, former Bank Austria boss Karl Sonntag transferred 138,000 euros.
Others also had to pay
French billionaire Robert Peugeot, one of the most prominent Signa investors, also arranged a repayment of 91,200 euros in mid-October, and 50,000 euros flowed from Wüstenrot boss Susanne Riess-Hahn to the curator.
“A lawsuit has already been filed against the commissioners who have not arranged for reimbursement,” the trustee’s report said. The most prominent: ex-banker Karl Sevelda. A legal challenge is underway in the Vienna Commercial Court against the former CEO of Raiffeisen Bank International.
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.
