Rene Benko remains in custody

The court still sees an "urgent" suspicion and risk of committing an offense, as reported in a statement on Monday. The pre-trial detention against Rene Benko was therefore extended until January 12, 2026, as January 10 is a Saturday. An appeal against the decision can be filed within three days. The WKStA and the defense did not provide any statement. Rene Benko participated in the hearing via video from the Innsbruck correctional facility.

Rene Benko in pre-trial detention since January

In October, Rene Benko was sentenced to two years in prison in Innsbruck in the first criminal trial for fraudulent bankruptcy. After appeals from the prosecution and defense, the verdict is not legally binding. A second trial is also scheduled for December 10 and 16 in Innsbruck. Rene Benko has consistently denied all allegations so far. He has been in pre-trial detention since January. The Economic and Corruption Prosecutor's Office (WKStA) recently pursued more than a dozen different lines of inquiry in the case complex surrounding the Signa bankruptcy. The allegations against Rene Benko include fraudulent bankruptcy, breach of trust, serious fraud, creditor favoritism, and subsidy abuse. They have more than a dozen accused individuals and two associations in their sights. The total damage under investigation currently amounts to around 300 million euros, according to the prosecutor's office.

Media reports on dispute over tens of thousands of emails

According to media reports, a dispute between Rene Benko and the WKStA is raging not only in the courtroom. As reported by the "Kurier" in October, Benko's lawyer Norbert Wess requested a laptop for his client, onto which all of Benko's emails and calendar entries should be transferred, so that he can listen to the protocols and defend himself against allegations. This has not yet occurred, Wess stated on Monday in response to an APA inquiry. According to a "Presse" report, the WKStA explained these days that "normal" file access is not denied to Rene Benko. If he were free, his data carriers would have been returned to him after the authorities made backup copies. However, Benko's lawyer can at least access the "returned devices." According to previous reports, Rene Benko has a tablet available for electronic file access in the correctional facility, which he reportedly finds insufficient.

(APA/Red)

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