Austrian investor René Benko was sentenced by the Regional Court in Innsbruck to two years in prison for damaging his creditors during his personal insolvency proceedings. The court found Benko guilty of reducing his assets to the detriment of creditors, including transferring €300,000 to his mother and paying €360,000 in rent advances for a luxury property.
Benko had denied the charges, claiming he had “fought to the point of exhaustion” to save his business empire, Signa Holding. His lawyers argued the payments were lawful and within his rights, but the court ruled they were intended to shield assets from creditors. The sentence follows a brief but high-profile trial, during which Benko appeared significantly weakened after nine months in custody.
Benko’s legal troubles began with the insolvency of Signa Holding in late 2023. At its peak, the conglomerate controlled major retail and real estate assets across Europe. Its sporting goods portfolio included SportScheck, which was sold to Cisalfa in 2024, and the struggling online platform Signa Sports United (SSU), which had faced operational and financial setbacks. Internetstores, operator of Fahrrad.de and Campz, also faltered under Signa’s ownership.
Benko was arrested in January 2025 following allegations of falsifying documents, concealing assets through the Laura Private Foundation, and involvement in a fraudulent capital increase scheme. A cross-border investigation with German prosecutors continues.
The case marks a dramatic downfall for one of Central Europe’s most prominent retail and real estate investors, once valued at several billion euros.
