Now sitting in a foundation

Benko’s pilot cashed in big before the bankruptcy

Benko flew around the world for years in the Signa private jet.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Christof Birbaumer)

Not all employees in the bankrupt Signa group were equal. Some were more equal. Above all, those who were particularly close to René Benko, the inventor of the convoluted construct, apparently received preferential treatment. Until the big collapse.

This can be seen in the example of the employee participation model, which had been bundled into a separate limited company at Signa since 2019. Not only the financial juggernaut's already handsomely paid managers were to be given the opportunity to participate in the company's so-called success, but also smaller employees.