Sensational news
Benko: Arabs awarded €700 million
Following a lawsuit filed by Mubadala, Abu Dhabi's sovereign wealth fund, the international arbitration court has handed down a ruling with far-reaching consequences: Mubadala has been awarded over €700 million, with the Benkos' Laura Private Foundation being particularly hard hit.
It all began in 2018, when an Austrian delegation led by then-Chancellor Sebastian Kurz traveled to Abu Dhabi. Also on board was real estate mogul René Benko, who wanted to establish important connections with wealthy financiers in the Arab world. Above all, he wanted to connect with Mubadala, a sovereign wealth fund worth billions.
For Benko, a confidant of Kurz, the trip with the high-ranking delegation proved worthwhile: several Mubadala companies subsequently invested more than 700 million euros in the Signa Group, securing not only hefty interest payments but also extensive collateral. But at the end of 2023, the house of cards known as the Signa Group collapsed. The key Signa companies had to file for bankruptcy. And the Mubadala sovereign wealth fund wanted its money back. After all, René Benko personally and the Benkos' Laura Foundation had also provided extensive guarantees.
The consequence of the bankruptcies: the sheikhs took their case to the International Court of Arbitration (ICC), which heard the case in Zurich and Geneva in 2025. Behind closed doors. Abu Dhabi's accusation was that Signa Holding, Signa Prime, Signa Development, the Benko Family Private Foundation, the Laura Private Foundation, and René Benko himself had violated financing agreements.
Comprehensive guarantees
The verdict has now been delivered to the defendants: Mubadala was awarded just over €700 million. Since the bankrupt companies of the Signa Group have no significant funds at their disposal, the arbitration ruling now also spells trouble for various companies belonging to the Laura Private Foundation. According to the ruling, which is available to the "Krone," the Laura Foundation has been ordered to pay around 680 million plus interest. Since the claims can be partially offset, the Laura Foundation will still have to fork out several hundred million euros.
According to research by the Krone, the Benkos' Laura Foundation is believed to still have assets in the hundreds of millions. However, the Benko bunker is unlikely to have the necessary liquidity to settle the Arabs' high claims at present.
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