In the context of German and Italian investigations around the insolvent Signa Group, house searches were carried out in Austria.
Among other things, the Signa Development Selection in Vienna and objects in Vienna was searched, as the insolvency administrator said of the real estate development unit. The ‘Kronen Zeitung’ had previously reported about it.
A spokeswoman for the Munich I public prosecutor confirmed that the authority was involved in the campaign. The authority is investigating the Signa founder René Benko, which is detained in Austria, for suspicion of fraud and infidelity in the three-digit millions. On the one hand, it is examined whether Benko and other Signa managers cheat on a Saudi Arabian state fund, as the authority had announced at the beginning of the start. At the same time, it is checked whether Benko and any accomplice misappropriate funds from the Signa Group.
Investigations also in Italy
The Italian judiciary is investigating Benko and other suspects in connection with real estate speculation. The allegations are, among other things, to form a criminal association, manipulation of tenders, corruption and fraud.
The ex-billionaire Benko is in custody in Vienna. The 47-year-old’s lawyer has so far rejected all allegations. Benko had built up a complex company network in the low interest rate phase, which included the Galeria goods center group, the Luxury department store KaDeWe and the Hamburg Elbeower project. In addition to internal problems, Signa was brought down from rising interest rates, energy prices and construction costs.