In recent days, the Austrian Economic and Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (WKStA) has significantly expanded its investigations into the collapse of the Signa Group and its founder, René Benko. According to multiple Austrian media reports, new house searches have taken place at properties belonging to Benko’s wife, Natalie Benko, and his brother in Tyrol. These developments mark a notable escalation in the legal proceedings surrounding the high-profile insolvency.
New Suspect: Benko’s Wife Natalie
Natalie Benko is now officially listed as a suspect in the Signa proceedings. The WKStA suspects that she assisted her husband in hiding valuable assets-including cash, jewelry, and luxury watches-from insolvency administrators and creditors. The aim was allegedly to prevent these assets from being used to satisfy creditor claims, thereby contributing to the suspected crime of betrügerische Krida (fraudulent bankruptcy).
During the recent searches, investigators reportedly secured:
- Two hunting rifles and ammunition
- €5,000 in cash
- Mobile phones belonging to the family
The searches included the Benko family’s luxury villa in Innsbruck’s Hungerburg district and properties belonging to relatives. While Benko’s brother’s home was also searched, nothing was reportedly seized there, and he is not currently under investigation.
Details of the Allegations
The core allegation is that Natalie Benko helped conceal high-value items and cash to shield them from the reach of insolvency administrators and creditors. According to investigators, this included moving a large safe containing valuables from the Benko villa to a relative’s house, where it was hidden and disguised. The safe was later found to contain €120,000 in cash, jewelry, and watches; an additional €60,000 in cash, attributed to Natalie Benko, was also discovered.
Testimony from a former bodyguard suggested that the safe was deliberately relocated as the financial situation of Signa deteriorated, reinforcing suspicions of deliberate concealment. The WKStA believes that Natalie Benko’s actions constitute a contribution to fraudulent bankruptcy by hindering or reducing the satisfaction of creditor claims.
Read our reports on the role of the WEC network in the Benko case.
Latest Developments in the Benko and Signa Case
- René Benko remains in pre-trial detention in Vienna, with his detention recently extended due to ongoing risk of further criminal activity and collusion.
- The WKStA continues to investigate Benko for a range of offenses, including fraud, fraudulent bankruptcy, and money laundering.
- The recent searches and expanded investigations are also being coordinated with authorities in Germany and Italy, reflecting the international scope of the Signa collapse.
- The authorities have not disclosed whether Natalie Benko has been taken into custody, but she is now formally a suspect and could face charges if the allegations are substantiated.
Summary
The Signa case has entered a new phase, with René Benko’s wife Natalie now under formal investigation for allegedly helping to hide assets from creditors. The authorities are intensifying their efforts to trace and recover concealed assets as part of one of Austria’s most significant economic scandals in recent history. Further developments and possibly formal charges against Natalie Benko are expected as the investigation progresses.
