Serious accusations – 8 million: how Benko set up the villa

For René Benko, the air becomes thinner for the researchers, the soup thicker. The financial juggler is suspected of having damaged creditors in connection with his personal bankruptcy of billion dollars in March 2024 by not making his mass manager known.

In particular, the current accusation is that the criminalists follow, about the interior of a luxury villa in Innsbruck Igls, who served the Benkos as a hometown from the end of 2021. While the Signa group stumbled slowly, the family’s ownership stumbled, the ownership of the family was equipped with unprecedented opulence. Costs: a good eight million euros. This equipment is now central to intensive research by the Economic and Corruption Officer of Justice (WKSTA). The suspicion: parts of the Benko assets could have been moved or veiled to damage creditors.

Benko himself apparently had the crucial word in the luxurious facility and equipment of the villa, which actually belonged to the basis of his mother. In an internal e -mail to its interior designers, for example, the Tyroolean wrote: “Can you make me more classic, angular benches in the square variant? And the two bank chairs don’t like it either.”

“Like a pergola from Capri”
The outdoor space was also important for him: “Are there different ideas about possible garden furniture – both lounge on the terrace, dining table and chairs – and the small terrace for breakfast for the kitchen (similar to a pergola from Capri)?”

Benko’s love for the expensive detail cost millions. According to the internal line -up, only at around 765,000 euros were estimated for furniture for only a luxury equipment from Munich. Another 600,000 euros flowed to an entertainment system. The private club floor spent 440,000 euros, the wine cellar with almost 400,000 euros. Even for silver cutlery, more than 300,000 euros were calculated.

A billiard table, a bar, a fitness room or a vault for jewelry were also closely coordinated with the Benko pair, as shown out of correspondence. And that, although the very luxurious real estate that the Benkos has set up, officially belongs to a subsidiary of the Laura Private Foundation, with which René Benko wants nothing. In a letter to an Italian supplier, Benko, who is reportedly appeared as a customer, is even extraordinary as a “owner”. Water on the researchers’ factories that the mother of Benko suspects as a founder as a stromam in the shadow -rich of the Benko foundations.

“A million is already gone”
An internal mail traffic from 2021 reveals how the Benko world at that time of course with millions of millions was young. An employee wrote to the then main controller: “Want to pay these and other bills. Unfortunately we have already used up the 1 million.” The answer came quickly: “Make sure. But you should have the money, another million.”

Apparently money was – never the problem. It flowed as if there were no tomorrow. But after his unprecedented crash of billion dollars, the judiciary is more interested in the private -lifestyle of Benko.

“Midification of his property”
According to the research documents that are available for the “Krone” and “News”, Benko would “at least reduce” and therefore caused damage of more than 300,000 euros. This facility of the luxury villa with an estimated value of eight million influences a central reproach. In an internal document from the researchers, the “hidden of his property of the furniture of the villa” is mentioned.

Benko’s problem: the millions selected by Benko were paid by the responsible Schlosshotel Igls GmbH & Co. KG, a daughter of the Laura Foundation. The purchase price was booked by this company as a loan to Benko. A process that, according to the personal bankruptcy of Benko, apparently is seen very differently, was never the owner of the luxury interior and therefore not guilty of the loan for his purchase price.

Benkos Bad: his tax adviser and his director Marcus “Signature-August” Mühlberger apparently gave the financing to the financial years before the start of the large Signa bankruptcy wave that René Benko bought the facility.

Benko spoke violently to his two former colleagues. He was increasingly irritated when he was questioned in prison: “I wonder how often you still want to ask the subject of furniture, inventory and Excel lists.”

Bed linen, napkins and dishes
But the researchers continue to exist: “Why would the landlord (ie the daughter of the Laura Foundation, note) include bedding, daily ceilings, tablecloths, napkins, dishes, bowls and then rent the tenant?” Answer Benko: “Why not?”

The building was inhabited by the Van Benko family until a few months ago. The rent for her son – at least until his arrest in January 2025 – took over his mother. The question arises as to why the criminalists are exactly determined on the basis of “ownership of the luxury facility”. Simply put: if Benko was the owner if his mass manager could have sold the items. Then Benko’s oath of Revelation would have been wrong in his bankruptcy. If this statement was correct, this can lead to an indictment for fraudulent Crida. And in the case of a conviction, Benko would threaten up to ten years in prison.