A Glimpse into René Benko's Former Luxury Villa up for Auction: A Toast to the Good Ol' Days
Luxury villa inventory of Benkos, located on Lake Garda, is being put up for auction
Get ready to take a peek into the opulent world of René Benko, the once-prosperous real estate tycoon now infamous for his incarceration. The insolvency administrator is auctioning off the inventory of Benko's lavish Villa Ansaldi, nestled on the shores of Lake Garda. Although the luxury property itself remains out of reach for now, the villa's allure hasn't wavered.
Villa Ansaldi stands as a testament to Benko's glory days, revealing glimpses of its grandeur through discarded menus, surrenderable guest robes, and filled-out guestbooks. This helipad-equipped, yacht-moored estate boasts multiple outbuildings, where luminaries such as Tina Turner, Niki Lauda, and Silvio Berlusconi inscribed heartfelt messages for the Benko couple. The villa played host to Benko's extravagant 40th birthday bash in 2017, an event reportedly costing half a million euros.
Benko's fall from grace came crashing down in November 2023, marking the largest insolvency in Austrian history. Since January 2025, Benko has been behind bars, accused of fraud, insolvency offenses, and tax fraud, with his creditors demanding billions. To appease these claims, the insolvency administrator is auctioning off the entire inventory of Villa Ansaldi. Encompassing personal mementos like the celebrity-signed guestbook or an aged newspaper from Benko’s birthday, this collection extends to used kitchenware, doormats, a toilet brush, and dollar-minimum-bid landline phones. The real treasures, such as designer furniture valued in thousands of euros, await the highest bidder.
A Mysterious Owner Hides in the Shadows
The villa's behind-the-scenes workings come to light through a professional catering setup, a fully-stocked fitness studio, and an excess of office furniture. Fancy lawnmowers and helicopter fuel can also be found amidst the plenty. An astounding wine collection is also open for grabs.
Individuals and companies can bid online via the Austrian auction house Aurena's website. On July 5, registered bidders can scrutinize the items up-close at Lake Garda. The auction concludes on July 14, with over 1,800 items available in total.
Alas, the property itself remains unclaimed in the auction, shrouded in mystery. Unlike the inventory, it is not owned by the Signa Group or René Benko, officially. The luxurious villa is merely a tenant of a Luxembourg company, whose owner remains unknown. Rumors swirl that this mystery benefactor is one of Benko's foundations, a cloak meant to hide a sizable portion of Benko's wealth from creditors.
[1] ntv.de[2] mbo[3] Insolvency Administrator of the Signa Group
- Insolvency
- Auction
- Real Estate
- Italy
- Luxury Villa
Benko's former villa stands as both a symbol of his extravagant past and a testament to his current fall from grace. As the auction unfolds, we can't help but wonder about the mysteries that lie within the villa's walls and the fortunes hidden beneath Lake Garda's surface.
The insolvency administrator, as part of the ongoing auction, is offering various policies such as community policy and employment policy, perhaps for the management of the luxury villa, as they are among the inventory items up for grabs.
After months of rigorous activities, sports enthusiasts may find the discarded sports equipment from Villa Ansaldi appealing, another item available for bidding during the auction.
