Arrest Warrant Issued for Tycoon René Benko

René Benko, the Austrian tycoon and founder of the insolvent Signa Group, is facing an arrest warrant issued by the public prosecutor's office in Trento, Italy, over allegations of corruption linked to real estate projects in the Trentino-Alto Adige region. Investigators claim that Benko and a network of 77 individuals, including local politicians and business people, engaged in criminal conspiracy, fraud, and manipulation of tenders, financing election campaigns in exchange for favorable construction permits. Nine individuals, including mayors and entrepreneurs, are currently under house arrest. Despite the arrest warrant, Austrian law prevents its execution, and Benko remains at large, having recently filed for personal insolvency. His legal team asserts that he will cooperate with authorities and maintains his innocence regarding the charges. The investigation has raised suspicions of organized crime involvement, leading to extensive searches across multiple regions.