The insolvency proceedings Signa-Holding seems to be developing more and more into a drama. On Monday, insolvency administrator Christof Stapf rejected the majority of the claims – of the 8.6 billion euros, only 80.3 million were recognized.
Now more and more details about the insolvency administrator’s second report are becoming known. The report is peppered with Accusations against relevant companies in the Signa Empireas “Profil” and “Süddeutsche Zeitung” reported.
Benko wants money from his own bankruptcy
In total 1.6 billion euros Companies and foundations that are attributed to Benko himself and his family should demand from Signa Holding. According to “Profil”, these include the Laura Private Foundation, the Benko Family Private Foundation and Laura Holding. However, the insolvency administrator rejected almost all of these claims and did not recognize them for the time being.
Signas demand money from Signa
Different Signa companies also want to see money from Signa Holding: Signa Prime 152 million, Development even 485 million euros.
The department store chain Galeria, which has gone bankrupt for the third time, also wants to claim 209 million, it is said. But all of these so-called intercompany claims were categorically rejected by the insolvency administrator.
Gusenbauer brushes off demands worth millions
There has been a lot of excitement in recent months about the millions in fees that former Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer (SPÖ) charged Signa. He is said to have rejected his demands – also because Documents and proof of performance are missing would.
Gusenbauer is chairman of the supervisory boards of Signa Development Selection AG and Signa Prime Selection AG, and was also a member of the now dissolved Signa advisory board. According to “Profile”, Gusenbauer is said to be a private person 698.358,69 Euro including interest. There is said to be a further claim from his Gusenbauer Projektentwicklung & Beteiligung GmbH in the amount of 5.667.331,23 Euro including interest.
Millions in demand from the tax haven
Benko is also in deep trouble with international investors and banks. There are claims totaling around 430 million euros San Simeon Investments. The company is registered in the British Virgin Islands – a tax haven popular with shell companies. The name already appeared in the Panama Papers on how from the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) database emerges.
San Simeon is connected to the Chirathivat family, one of the richest families in Thailand. She owns it Central Groupa retail giant with which Signa has repeatedly worked together on department store deals, for example with the also insolvent KaDeWe Group and the Vienna department store construction site “Lamarr”.
There should also be demands from Liechtenstein. According to the “Profile”, Ameria Invest AG wants to 240 million euros. The company is said to belong to the railway entrepreneur Riccardo Arduini. This family is considered to be a major financier of Benko; shares in Signa Holding are reportedly held through a private foundation of Benko.
The London-based CG Jersey Retail Limited even wants to 900 million from Signa. But here too, Stapf initially rejected the majority of the demands.
Another consultant is worried about fees
Not only Gusenbauer, but also a second Benko consultant must be trembling for his money. Walid Chammah is the former president of the US investment bank Morgan Stanley and sat on the advisory board of Signa Holding.
He should be in the course of the Galeria-Karstadt-Kaufhof deal in 2015 20 million euros have been promised. The deal went through in 2018 – but according to his own statements, he hasn’t received anything yet. He is said to have sued for 14 million euros in consulting fees in London.
You can read all the latest news about René Benko and the Signa Group here.