René Benko before jury court in Innsbruck: 660,000 euros in damages
Signa founder René Benko must answer for fraudulent insolvency before the Innsbruck regional court from Tuesday. The sentencing range is one to ten years.
Benko proceedings reopened: Innsbruck jury court to hear case from Tuesday
René Benko, the Signa founder currently in pre-trial detention, will appear before a jury court of the Innsbruck Regional Court from Tuesday at 9.00 a.m. According to oe24.at, the Supreme Court (OGH) in July quashed a partial acquittal in the proceedings for fraudulent insolvency – the case is now being retried.
At the centre of the case is a rent advance payment of 360,000 euros for a villa in Innsbruck's Hungerburg district. Benko is accused of using this to prevent or reduce the satisfaction of creditors' claims in the context of his insolvency as a sole proprietor. The advance payment is said to have been unjustifiable in light of increasing payment difficulties and an foreseeable bankruptcy filing.
In addition, there is a conviction on the second count of charges already confirmed by the Supreme Court: the donation of 300,000 euros to Benko's mother. This brings the total damages at issue in the proceedings to around 660,000 euros. The sentencing range extends from one to ten years' imprisonment. A possible alternative hearing date has been set for 23 September.
Benko's lawyer announced that his client would plead not guilty. Benko himself has rejected all allegations to date.
Presumably in November, the Tyrolean real estate entrepreneur will have to face further charges before the Regional Court, which became known in mid-June. The Economics and Corruption Prosecution Authority (WKStA) accuses him of serious fraud and fraudulent insolvency. Specifically, he is said to have given a "false guarantee" to former Strabag chief Hans Peter Haselsteiner and representatives of his family foundation, and to have defrauded the foundation "fraudulently in the amount of around five million euros". Furthermore, he is said to have concealed an expensive shotgun from creditors of Signa Holding.
Benko has been in pre-trial detention since January 2025. Before the first trial in October 2024, he was transferred from Vienna to the Tyrolean capital and arrested there in January 2025. Family visits have been permitted to him for around a year; an application for approval of a carpentry apprenticeship has not been granted to date.
Source: Google News AT — Crime (de)