【Tyrol, Austr】Watches, Money, Jewelry: The Mysterious Role of Nathalie Benko – Expertise

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Editor’s Note

This article reports on an ongoing legal case. The allegations described are based on the public indictment from the Economic and Corruption Public Prosecutor’s Office (WKStA) and media reports. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Nathalie und René Benko bei der Eröffnung des KaDeWe in Berlin: Die Staatsanwaltschaft wirft der gebürtigen Schweizerin vor, für ihren Mann Bargeld, Uhren und Schmuck versteckt zu haben
What is the case about?

The Economic and Corruption Public Prosecutor’s Office (WKStA) is charging Nathalie Benko together with her husband René for fraudulent bankruptcy. According to the Kronen Zeitung, she is alleged to have hidden cash, luxury watches, and jewelry for her husband in a secret safe at a relative’s house. The estimated total value of the treasure, and thus the damage amount, is 370,000 euros. The indictment is 18 pages long in total.

What was in the safe?

120,000 euros in cash, plus eleven luxury watches from the brands Rolex, Audemars Piguet, Cartier, Hublot, IWC, Omega, Breitling, and the “Nautilus” by Patek Philippe (see also Instagram link above) with a total estimated value according to an expert of 229,000 euros. In addition, there were seven rings, four pairs of cufflinks (estimated value 9,400 euros), and replacement watch straps worth around 8,500 euros.

Which “Nautilus” model was found?
Es geht um 16,9 Millionen Euro, einen Geheimtermin in einem Luxushotel und einen Handy-Mitschnitt

It is a chronograph with the reference 5980R-001 in rose gold. This model with an automatic movement was produced from 2010 to 2024 and last had a list price of about 76,000 euros. Like most “Nautilus” models, this one also now costs more than its original list price on the secondary market. Currently, the watch cannot be found used for less than 90,000 euros, with the average selling price being around 100,000 euros.

Where was the safe found?

In the house of Nathalie Benko’s aunt in the small Tyrolean town of Pfunds, reports Stern. There, the safe was hidden in a cellar room originally built as a bunker, behind wine crates and household goods.

How did the authorities find the safe?

Through a former bodyguard of the ex-billionaire. He gave the authorities a tip, which led to a house search in January 2025 and the discovery of the safe.

René Benko beim Formel 1 Grand Prix in Spielberg 2023. An seinem Handgelenk: Eine Patek Philippe
Why did the ex-bodyguard do it?
“He himself came under the scrutiny of the judiciary for a transgression and subsequently offered his knowledge to the investigators,” says investigative journalist, author, and Signa expert Rainer Fleckl (“Inside Signa”), who has been researching the case for years.
How did the safe get there?

According to investigators, Nathalie Benko asked her relatives in 2024 if she could store some items in their safe. However, since there was no safe in the house, Mrs. Benko specifically ordered the safe in Innsbruck – according to the public prosecutor’s office, incidentally, exactly on that day in March 2024 when René Benko filed for personal bankruptcy.

And why were cash and valuables stored in that safe and not in the couple’s villa in Innsbruck?
Aus dem Mega-Anwesen soll ein Wellness-Hotel werden
As long as the family lived in the villa in Igls, the building was strictly guarded. Nevertheless, it was “simply important to his wife to store some things outside the villa,” said René Benko.
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⏰ Published on: October 02, 2025