Austrian investor René Benko may face another trial after prosecutors on Friday filed fresh charges relating to the former billionaire's Signa real estate and retail empire, alleging serious fraud and harm to creditors' interests.
The charges filed with the Innsbruck Regional Court are not yet final, the Public Prosecutor's Office for Economic Affairs and Corruption (WKStA) said.
Benko is accused of causing a private foundation to suffer a loss of €5 million ($5.7 million) in connection with a guarantee statement made to an investor.
The 49-year-old, who has been in pretrial detention for 18 months, is also alleged to have concealed ownership of a hunting rifle worth €80,000 during his insolvency as a sole proprietor. This is said to have harmed the interests of creditors.
Benko has already been convicted in two similar trials during which he maintained his full innocence. Those verdicts are also not yet final.
In October 2025, Benko received a two-year prison sentence. In December, he was convicted again for defrauding his creditors, for which he received a 15-month suspended sentence and a fine.
In the extensive Signa case, the WKStA suspects the once highly respected businessman of fraud, embezzlement and bankruptcy. Further charges could follow.
Over the course of about 20 years, Benko amassed a fortune worth billions through Signa. Rising interest rates and construction costs, as well as risky acquisitions, such as the German department store chains Karstadt and Kaufhof, drove the conglomerate into bankruptcy.