Rene Benko Accuses Gusenbauer of Complicity
The WKStA suspects that Benko "persuaded an investor" to pay approximately 5 million euros to the restructuring officer of Signa Holding GmbH, as the WKStA announced a month ago, without naming Haselsteiner.
Gusenbauer was "involved" according to Rene Benko
"He pretended to the investor that he would personally cover a dividend amount of the same value owed to him from another Signa investment, which had not yet been paid out, in the event of its default," according to the WKStA. Benko is presumed innocent. Both Haselsteiner and Gusenbauer have denied in the past being aware of the poor financial condition of the Signa Group. However, Benko contradicted this account during an interrogation by a judge on August 6, writes the daily newspaper on Thursday.
According to the protocol, Benko is said to have stated verbatim: "Mr. Haselsteiner was involved in many discussions at the time, also with the restructuring administrator. Additionally, Dr. Gusenbauer, as chairman of the supervisory board of Signa Prime and Signa Development, was also chairman of the Haselsteiner Foundation, so he was deeply involved. To say he had no knowledge is wrong. Dr. Gusenbauer was involved weekly and he was also chairman of the Haselsteiner Foundation."
Gusenbauer: Benko was "Brain of the Company" and "Primary Decision-Maker"
During a recent detention review hearing, Benko stated that it was "unimaginable" to him that the guarantee payment would become necessary, the "Standard" reported last week. Furthermore, Haselsteiner was aware at the time that he was not liquid, according to Benko. The judge reportedly dismissed this as an "unbelievable protective claim."
As the "Standard" writes on Thursday, Haselsteiner testified in October 2024 that Benko claimed in November 2023 that he had "sufficient assets, but no liquidity." Gusenbauer also denied that there were warning signs of a financial imbalance. As a witness under oath, he stated to the WKStA that Benko was the "brain of the company" and "primary decision-maker."
(APA/Red)
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