René Benko: Million-Dollar Claim from Former Advisor Berninghaus

The insolvency administrator "has not recognized 98 percent of the claims from all creditors. Including mine." Additionally, Berninghaus accuses the imprisoned Tyrolean of spying on his family.

Benko currently in pre-trial detention

The 48-year-old Benko has been in pre-trial detention in Vienna since January 24. His Signa Holding filed for bankruptcy at the end of 2023. The Economic and Corruption Prosecutor's Office (WKStA) is investigating more than a dozen suspects and two associations for serious fraud, fraudulent bankruptcy, breach of trust, subsidy fraud, and creditor favoritism.

The first criminal trial against Benko will take place on October 14 and 15 at the Regional Court in Innsbruck. The presumption of innocence applies.

Serious allegations from Berninghaus

Berninghaus, who left Signa in May 2023 due to a cancer diagnosis, made serious allegations against Signa founder Benko in an interview with "Bilanz": "Benko (has) apparently had my family and me monitored and spied on for months by a foreign private investigator. I didn't notice anything about it."

The surveillance began at the latest in February 2023 and continued even during his illness, said Berninghaus: "Obviously, my family and I were not only spied on in our home on Lake Zurich, but also in our family residence in France, as well as in Florida, where I spent part of my convalescence."

"There is simply no remotely understandable reason to have a long-term partner, confidant, co-investor, and comrade spied on, surveilled, and shadowed in his personal and family environment," said Berninghaus, who worked for Migros before joining Signa in 2016.

"Most Personal Documents Stolen"

"Our most personal documents were stolen: account statements, invoices, communication with external service providers, etc. They were apparently found in the dossier of the foreign private investigator with Benko, unbelievable...", said Berninghaus. Additionally, secret surveillance software was also installed on the family's iPads.

Berninghaus said that he has not yet filed a criminal complaint. Whether he will do so, he did not want to comment. "The priority after this terrible experience is to continue protecting the family, my wife has already been threatened," he further stated. One day, a threatening postcard was found in the mailbox.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.