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René Benko sentenced to additional prison time for fraud

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2026-11-05 18:13 UTC → 2026-11-06 11:01 UTC · added ~~removed~~

René Benko, the founder of the collapsed Signa Group, has been sentenced to an additional two years in prison by the Innsbruck Regional Court. This follows a conviction for aggravated fraud involving a five million euro guarantee provided to the family trust of industrialist Hans Peter Haselsteiner. The court determined that Benko provided a “wahrheitswidrige Garantie” (untruthful guarantee) in November 2023 to secure funds for the retailer ~~SportScheck in late 2023.~~ SportScheck. This sentence will be added to a previous ~~two and a half year~~ 30 month prison term handed down for defrauding ~~creditors.~~ creditors, bringing his total prison term to four and a half years. Benko was acquitted of a separate charge regarding the alleged concealment of a luxury hunting rifle valued at 80,000 euros from insolvency administrators. The presiding judge, Norbert Hofer, ruled that the evidence did not support the claim that the weapon was being hidden from creditors. The verdict is not yet legally binding, as legal representatives have three days to decide on an appeal.

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