Luxury hotel in the sights

Corona funding: WKStA investigates Benko

(Bild: Archiv, APA/Helmut Fohringer, krone.at-Grafik)

The Economic and Corruption Prosecutor's Office (WKStA) is now also investigating the Tyrolean major investor René Benko on suspicion that he misused coronavirus funding. The investigation concerns subsidies for Chalet N on the Arlberg, which is dedicated as a hotel. 

The WKStA suspects that the property was mainly used privately by Benko and that the coronavirus aid paid for it should therefore not have been used, the WKStA confirmed on Friday afternoon.

The chalet in Lech

(Bild: chalet-n.com)

The WKStA suspects that Chalet N was "mainly" used as accommodation for Benko and his business partners and should therefore not have received any Covid subsidies.

The subsidies were used in particular to finance Benko's private lifestyle, to cover the expenses of other Signa companies and for invitations to prominent guests, rather than to pay hotel employees who had become unemployed.

Suspicion of serious fraud
The funds were used in particular to finance Benko's private life, to cover the expenses of other Signa companies and for invitations for celebrity guests instead of paying hotel employees who had become unemployed. All in all, the WKStA is investigating Benko on suspicion of serious fraud, intent to commit embezzlement and misuse of funds.

"We were already able to prove 1.5 years ago with numerous sources that the Lech Chalet was used less as a hotel and more as a private vacation home by Benko, his family and his guests.

Benko was probably his own best guest and yet he collected millions in COVID economic aid for Chalet N," criticized Green MP Nina Tomaselli.