Investigators accuse René Benko of document forgery in the Signa complex

The special commission Soko Signa has already been dealing for months with the financial entanglements surrounding Signa Holding. The now expanded line of investigation into document forgery has been on file since 26 August, according to judicial circles. Benko had already stepped down from economic control of Signa Holding by the time insolvency proceedings were opened over his corporate empire, but his influence on key decisions continues to be examined.

The background is the complex group structure of Signa Holding, in which numerous prominent investors and managers were or are involved. Töller, Tanner and Haselsteiner are among the best-known names in the orbit of the former real estate and retail empire. Their signatures on a subsequently altered resolution could have had significant legal and economic consequences, which is why the authorities consider the matter particularly relevant.

Legal classification

The investigation order sets out that the manipulation could have served the purpose of feigning or subsequently documenting the consent of the named managers to certain resolutions. A statement from Benko on the specific allegations was not available by editorial deadline. Representatives of the three managers named have also not publicly commented so far.

Legally, the charge of document forgery is in play, which in Austria can be punished by a prison sentence of up to three years. In particularly serious cases, such as documented deception over material business transactions, the sentence can also be higher. The Innsbruck public prosecutor's office, which is responsible for proceedings surrounding the Signa collapse, is now examining whether and when charges will be brought.

Further investigations by Soko Signa are running in parallel, dealing with the entire complex surrounding the insolvency of Signa Holding. Several former managers and advisers have already been questioned, files have been seized and expert opinions requested. The authorities emphasise that the investigations are still ongoing and that the presumption of innocence applies to all those affected.

Investigations in the wake of the Signa collapse

Observers see the new allegations as a further piece in the picture of Signa Holding's financial problems, which had begun with the insolvency in November 2023. At that time, numerous subsidiaries and real estate projects had to be wound up, representing one of the largest corporate collapses in Austrian economic history. The criminal investigation has since run through the reporting of several media outlets on a page-by-page basis.

The interrogations and house searches in the vicinity of Signa Holding had repeatedly made headlines in recent months. Economic prosecutor Norbert Wess, who is coordinating the investigations, had pointed to the particular complexity of the case at an early stage. With the new allegations against Benko, the case gains an additional dimension, as the focus is now not only on financial irregularities but also on possible manipulations of resolution documents.

Innsbruck, as the seat of the responsible public prosecutor's office, is the central location for further procedural steps. The authority has announced that it will decide swiftly on the bringing of charges if sufficient evidence is available. Until then, the accused remains an Austrian citizen whose financial circumstances are already severely limited as a result of the insolvency.

Overall, the matter shows how deeply investigators have now penetrated the structure and decision-making processes of the once powerful Signa Holding. Soko Signa says it is well positioned to clarify the complex facts of the case. The role of the three managers named is also to be examined more closely in order to determine whether and to what extent they knew of the manipulations or were themselves affected.