After the Trent Public Prosecution Service issued an arrest warrant for Signa founder René Benko, it is now finally clear that the former multi-billionaire will not be extradited.
Innsbruck Regional Court spokeswoman Birgit Fink said on Tuesday that the judge for detention and legal protection had now issued a decision declaring a transfer to Italy inadmissible.
The reason: Benko is known as an Austrian citizen. The decision was already legally binding. The decision was exactly as expected, it was only a formal matter. Finally, there is a constitutional provision that Austrian citizens may not be extradited for suspected crimes for which they may also be investigated in their own country. Tyrolean Benko had previously been asked for comment as part of the “handover procedure”.
“Leader of a mafia-like criminal organization”
The Trent Public Prosecution Service suspects Benko of being “the leader of a mafia-like criminal organization” that was founded with the aim of obtaining concessions and permits in order to make unjustified profits, according to the investigation files. Italian justice said the entrepreneur and investor headed the criminal organization with the help of Bolzano tax advisor Heinz Peter Hager and an entrepreneur from the city of Rovereto. Hager is also CEO of the Laura Private Foundation, named after Benko’s daughter. The investigation against a total of 77 people is still ongoing.
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.
