Sonja Kohn: Difference between revisions
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==Madoff connection== |
==Madoff connection== |
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The Bank Medici directed funds from investors to [[Bernard Madoff]]. Kohn kept a low profile after the disclosure of the securities [[fraud]] conducted by him either to hide from unhappy clients, or from embarrassment at being involved in the affair, or worse <ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/07/business/07medici.html New York Times]</ref>. She said in a Jan. 14 e-mail to Bloomberg News that she was as deceived by the “Madoff fraud” as anyone else. Madoff wasn’t a friend and didn’t confide in her, she wrote.<ref>[http://noir.bloomberg.com/apps/news?sid=awdJ9s8sXCT4&pid=newsarchive Bloomberg]</ref> Following this, Bank Medici has decided on March 19, 2009 to wind down all banking business and to relinquish the banking license.<ref>[http://bankmedici.com/News.htm BANK MEDICI Statements until 19 March 2009]</ref>On December 10, 2010, Kohn was sued by [[Irving_Picard|Irving H. Picard]], trustee of assets seized by the court from Bernard Madoff, for $19.6 billion. Picard claims that she funneled 'billions' of investor dollars to Madoff in return for $62 million in kickbacks; this is one of dozens of lawsuits filed against Madoff investors and alleged collaborators before the two-year statute of limitations required by US civil code ran out on December 11, 2010..<ref>{{cite news|url=http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2010/12/10/madoff-trustee-seeks-19-6-billion-from-austrian-banker |title=Madoff Trustee Seeks $19.6 Billion From Austrian Banker |publisher=nytimes.com |date=2010-12-10 |accessdate=2010-12-10 | first=DIANA | last=HENRIQUES}}</ref> |
The Bank Medici directed funds from investors to [[Bernard Madoff]]. Kohn kept a low profile after the disclosure of the securities [[fraud]] conducted by him either to hide from unhappy clients, or from embarrassment at being involved in the affair, or worse <ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/07/business/07medici.html New York Times]</ref>. She said in a Jan. 14 e-mail to Bloomberg News that she was as deceived by the “Madoff fraud” as anyone else. Madoff wasn’t a friend and didn’t confide in her, she wrote.<ref>[http://noir.bloomberg.com/apps/news?sid=awdJ9s8sXCT4&pid=newsarchive Bloomberg]</ref>She says she was a victim of a “fraud that destroyed lives, life savings and companies.” Following this, Bank Medici has decided on March 19, 2009 to wind down all banking business and to relinquish the banking license.<ref>[http://bankmedici.com/News.htm BANK MEDICI Statements until 19 March 2009]</ref>On December 10, 2010, Kohn was sued by [[Irving_Picard|Irving H. Picard]], trustee of assets seized by the court from Bernard Madoff, for $19.6 billion. Picard claims that she funneled 'billions' of investor dollars to Madoff in return for $62 million in kickbacks; this is one of dozens of lawsuits filed against Madoff investors and alleged collaborators before the two-year statute of limitations required by US civil code ran out on December 11, 2010..<ref>{{cite news|url=http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2010/12/10/madoff-trustee-seeks-19-6-billion-from-austrian-banker |title=Madoff Trustee Seeks $19.6 Billion From Austrian Banker |publisher=nytimes.com |date=2010-12-10 |accessdate=2010-12-10 | first=DIANA | last=HENRIQUES}}</ref> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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Revision as of 18:48, 11 December 2010
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Sonja Kohn (born August 5, 1948 in Vienna) is an Austrian banker.
Biography
Sonja Kohn was born to Jewish refugees from Eastern Europe. She grew up in Vienna in a small Jewish community. In the 1970s, with her husband Erwin Kohn, she started an import-export business and moved to Milan, Italy.
In 1984 she founded the Bank Medici in Vienna. One year later, she moved to New York. They lived in Monsey, a large, ultraorthodox Jewish community. Increasingly orthodox, she covered her hair as is customary for traditionally orthodox women. The Kohns founded a small brokerage firm, the Eurovaleur Inc. In New York City she became known as “Austria’s woman on Wall Street.” Kohn only got into investing after staying home to raise her five children.
In 1990s, they moved back to Vienna. There, she cooperated with Gerhard Randa of Bank Austria. The Bank Medici was relaunched in 2003 as an Aktiengesellschaft. Sonja is shareholder of 75 percent and is head of the bank's supervising board. She also became consultant of the Vienna Stock Exchange and was member of the supervisory board of Italian Finlombardia bank.[1].
Madoff connection
The Bank Medici directed funds from investors to Bernard Madoff. Kohn kept a low profile after the disclosure of the securities fraud conducted by him either to hide from unhappy clients, or from embarrassment at being involved in the affair, or worse [2]. She said in a Jan. 14 e-mail to Bloomberg News that she was as deceived by the “Madoff fraud” as anyone else. Madoff wasn’t a friend and didn’t confide in her, she wrote.[3]She says she was a victim of a “fraud that destroyed lives, life savings and companies.” Following this, Bank Medici has decided on March 19, 2009 to wind down all banking business and to relinquish the banking license.[4]On December 10, 2010, Kohn was sued by Irving H. Picard, trustee of assets seized by the court from Bernard Madoff, for $19.6 billion. Picard claims that she funneled 'billions' of investor dollars to Madoff in return for $62 million in kickbacks; this is one of dozens of lawsuits filed against Madoff investors and alleged collaborators before the two-year statute of limitations required by US civil code ran out on December 11, 2010..[5]
References
- ^ Wirtschaftsblatt (04.11.2004): Zur Person - Sonja Kohn (viewed on 22nd March 2009)
- ^ New York Times
- ^ Bloomberg
- ^ BANK MEDICI Statements until 19 March 2009
- ^ HENRIQUES, DIANA (2010-12-10). "Madoff Trustee Seeks $19.6 Billion From Austrian Banker". nytimes.com. Retrieved 2010-12-10.