Signa-Founder Rene Benko Arrested in Innsbruck

Rene Benko was arrested on Thursday due to the risk of collusion and the risk of reoffending, the WKStA announced in a press release.

Investigations Against Rene Benko on Suspicion of Fraud and Fraudulent Bankruptcy

The arrest was approved by the Vienna Regional Court for Criminal Matters and carried out by the Soko Signa of the Federal Criminal Police Office today. Contrary to initial media reports, Benko was not arrested at his villa in Innsbruck. The spokeswoman for the Vienna Regional Court, Christina Salzborn, confirmed this to the APA. The WKStA had recently investigated the 47-year-old Tyrolean, among other things, on suspicion of fraud and fraudulent bankruptcy. The Signa founder is said to have "falsified an invoice and tried to hide assets and evade the access of authorities, administrators and creditors," said the Economic and Corruption Prosecutor's Office.

According to WKStA spokesman Rene Ruprecht, an interrogation was conducted on Thursday. Only then will further steps be taken, he told the APA. The WKStA has 48 hours to apply for pre-trial detention. The Vienna Regional Court for Criminal Matters would have to decide on a possible pre-trial detention application, "because we are responsible for all WKStA investigations," as court spokeswoman Salzborn explained to the APA. This decision would have to be made within 48 hours of submitting the detention application - since Benko is currently being questioned by the police in Innsbruck, the detention hearing would probably take place via video conference. Justice insiders consider it rather unlikely that Benko will be brought from Innsbruck to Vienna immediately. Once an application for pre-trial detention is in place, it is assumed that Benko will initially stay in Tyrol and is likely to be transferred to the Innsbruck prison after the interrogation.

Rene Benko Arrested Due to Risk of Collusion and Reoffending

The risk of committing the offence is argued by the WKStA as follows: "In particular, René Benko is said to be, among other things, the de facto ruler and economically entitled of the Laura Private Foundation and to have concealed this in the context of his personal bankruptcy." This emerges "from the results of the intensive investigations of the past months, especially a telephone surveillance, an evaluation of the accused's message traffic and the statements of business partners, management and employees."

The reason for detention of the risk of flight is currently not assumed by the judiciary. This is significant insofar as only the risk of flight, but not the risk of committing the offence and the risk of obstruction of justice, can be subsumed under a bail. If the current reasons for detention remain, Benko would have no prospects of avoiding possible imprisonment by depositing a sum of money. As a rule, pre-trial detention is initially imposed for a period of 14 days.

According to the WKStA, Benko is said to have "subsequently produced an invoice and thus falsified evidence in order to withdraw three high-priced firearms from the access of authorities, administrators and creditors". The Economic and Corruption Prosecutor's Office referred to the urgent suspicion of crime in the following procedural strands: Capital increase by money carousel, Villa Eden Gardone and Insolvency René Benko. The WKStA has now also formed a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) with the public prosecutor's offices in Berlin and Munich. The WKStA investigations have now also been extended to the procedural strand of investment fraud in the Franz am Bahnhofsplatz Munich project.

Rene Benko's Lawyer Unaware of Arrest Warrant

Benko's lawyer, Norbert Wess, confirmed to the APA an "arrest warrant", although he did not yet know it. "But a court must first decide on the possible pre-trial detention within 48 hours. This will therefore only happen subsequently," said Wess. In addition, an arrest warrant had been issued against the Tyrolean by the public prosecutor's office in Trento, Italy, in December, which, however, had been rejected by the Innsbruck Regional Court and declared an extradition as inadmissible. Investigations were being conducted against a total of 77 people.

(APA/Red)

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