According to media reports, the founder of Signa Holding, the Austrian René Benko, has filed for insolvency as a sole proprietor. The Austrian Financial Procurator’s Office had already filed for insolvency against Benko as an entrepreneur at the end of January. This primarily concerned debts to the Austrian tax authorities, reportedly amounting to around €2 million. In addition, Benko is said to have failed to pay a promised third million that he was supposed to raise to restructure his bankrupt holding company.
Until a few months ago and before the collapse of his Signa empire, which also included Signa Sports United (SSU), Benko was considered one of the wealthiest Austrians. In a worst-case scenario, the entrepreneur now faces the liquidation of his private assets.
