Cause Signa: Raid on former Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer

Interestingly, everyone involved is very buttoned up. “I can neither confirm nor deny the coercive measure,” says Rüdiger Schender, Gusenbauer’s lawyer, to the KURIER. The KURIER also reached Gusenbauer himself by telephone: He was abroad and couldn’t speak, he said briefly in response to the KURIER’s query.

For the first time, the WKStA confirms specific allegations of infidelity against former Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer as well as further investigations into fraud and fraudulent Krida against Signa founder René Benko. He rejects the allegations.

Suspicion of infidelity against the former Federal Chancellor

The focus of the new investigation is Alfred Gusenbauer in his role as chairman of the supervisory board of Signa Development Selection AG and Signa Prime Selection AG. According to the WKStA, Gusenbauer is said to have abused his powers in October and November 2022 and, together with a board member, agreed and ordered unjustified advance payments on a profit share. The resulting damage to the two companies amounts to a total of ten million euros.

The payments are said to have been made without the necessary approval of the entire Supervisory Board. The board member concerned is accused of having directed Gusenbauer’s actions. In this context, house searches were carried out at several locations in Vienna and Lower Austria and extensive data carriers and documents were seized.

Cash carousel during capital increases

At the same time, the WKStA is expanding its investigations into the already known factual complex “capital increase through money carousel”. René Benko is said to have persuaded another shareholder of Signa Holding GmbH to grant a loan of 250 million euros by pretending to be economically stable and repayable. As a result, fraudulently obtained loan extensions and a partial waiver of claims are said to have occurred.

The public prosecutor’s office had previously expressed the suspicion that Benko had persuaded shareholders to make additional investments as part of capital increases by pretending to inject fresh capital himself. In fact, some of the funds are said to have flowed through internal company detours and were ultimately spent as his own contribution.

Suspicion of systematic damage to creditors

Also new is an extensive investigation into so-called intercompany loans. There is a suspicion that René Benko and those responsible for several Austrian and German Signa companies have granted unsecured loans in the double to triple-digit million range within the group. This financing is said to have placed further strain on economically struggling companies and prevented or at least reduced the satisfaction of creditors.

The WKStA is currently not providing any details about these allegations and refers to tactical reasons for the investigation.

Key role in the Signa system

Alfred Gusenbauer had one for years central governance function at Signa. As Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Signa Holding GmbH He was formally the group’s highest controller and thus part of the structure that was supposed to signal stability and seriousness to banks, investors and political decision-makers.

Berlin Public Prosecutor’s Office

Timo H. is being investigated primarily in Germany. He was briefly arrested at the end of March 2026 at the request of the Berlin public prosecutor’s office and released again under strict conditions. According to the German real estate newspaper, the former Germany boss of Signa is said to have embezzled money. According to media information, it should be worth 8.4 million euros. H. vehemently denies the allegations. He “cannot understand” the allegations, he tells the real estate newspaper. A side note: Top manager Timo H. was dismissed without notice as CEO of Signa Prime and Signa Development in December 2023.