Unveiling the Past Glory: René Benko's Famed Villa on Lake Garda Hits the Auction Block
Auction of the opulent Benkos villa on Lake Garda's inventory is underway.
Grab a glimpse of the high life with a peek into the now-infamous Villa Ansaldi on the shores of Lake Garda. Once the playground of real estate tycoon René Benko, this luxury estate comes replete with a helicopter landing pad, yacht mooring, and numerous ancillary buildings.
With Benko long behind bars, the villa's storied history unfolds through wine and food menus, guest bathrobes, and slippers, scribbles in the guestbook, and personal messages like the heartfelt thanks from Tina Turner and Niki Lauda. Even Silvio Berlusconi took part in the festivities during Benko's 40th birthday bash in 2017, reputedly a half-million-euro affair.
Benko's Signa Group crumbled in 2023, marking one of the most significant insolvencies in Austrian history. Entering the slammer in January 2025, Benko faces charges of fraud, insolvency offenses, and tax offenses. Creditors are seeking billions from the incarcerated mogul.
To recoup even a fragment of these clams, the insolvency administrator will auction off every knickknack and luxurious piece in Villa Ansaldi, from used frying pans to doormats, toilet brushes, and the prized celebrity guestbook. Even an old newspaper from Benko's birthday, May 20, 1977, is up for grabs. Amid the mundane and the magnificent, bidders will find cheap landline phones starting at one euro, designer furniturewith thousand-euro price tags, and everything in between.
Unmasking the Villa's True Owner
While the villa's operations are now under scrutiny, the property's ownership remains shrouded in mystery. A professional catering setup, comprehensive fitness studio inventory, and numerous office furnishings hint at the opulence within the estate. Those seeking a riding lawnmower, a mobile tank with 450 liters of helicopter fuel, or an extensive wine collection will find their desires fulfilled.
Private individuals and companies can bid online via the Austrian auction house Aurena's website. A viewing for registered bidders is planned for July 5, and the auction winds down on July 14. However, the villa itself won't be on the auction block, and it's unclear who owns the property. Rather than the Signa Group or Benko, the villa is reportedly leased to a Luxembourg company, whose owner remains unknown. Some suspect that this company may be one of Benko's discrete vehicles for protecting his considerable assets from creditors.
Sources: ntv.de, mbo
- René Benko
- Insolvency
- Auction
- Italy
- Billionaires
Enrichment Data:Upon examining various sources, I could not find definitive information about the current owners of the luxury villa on Lake Garda. Further research may be needed to uncover the true identity of the villa's owner, if the information is not already well-documented in local real estate records or media outlets covering Lake Garda properties.
The upcoming auction of items from Villa Ansaldi, including a celebrity guestbook and luxury furniture, offers a unique glimpse into the estate's opulent past, previously owned by tycoon René Benko, who is currently in prison for charges related to insolvency, fraud, and tax offenses. Meanwhile, the villa's ownership remains a mystery, sparking speculation that it is leased to a Luxembourg company, potentially one of Benko's covert assets, as reported by various sources. Sports gear and accessories, such as a riding lawnmower or a mobile tank with 450 liters of helicopter fuel, may also be discovered among the auctioned items, offering an unexpected twist to this intriguing saga.
