Disgraced Billionaire Is Selling His $45 Million RoMa Superyacht at a Huge Discount

Common sense and popular wisdom say you shouldn't rejoice at other people's misery, but both might make an exception for the future owner of RoMA, whose sale is spurred by the fall of Rene Benko's real estate empire, Signa Holding. Since it went into insolvency in November last year, its founder and former CEO Benko fell out of grace and out of Forbes' billionaire ranking, smack in the middle of three international investigations for fraudulent bankruptcy and money laundering.

Coincidence or not, but his superyacht has entered the market for the first time, and the listing is asking considerably less than its estimated worth. RoMA, a spectacular vessel and a very popular charter platform, was previously valued at $45 million but is now asking a "mere" $32.2 million, or €29.9 million.

But there is more to RoMA than just its scandal-riddled owner, as fascinating a figure as he might seem or as resounding as his downfall might be. Both are just that, make no mistake about it: Benko was once Austria's richest man, with an estimated net worth of $5.6 billion at his peak, a former convict who built a real estate empire on charm and connections. Signa Holding, that empire, owned stakes in New York’s Chrysler Building, London's Selfridges, and the Park Hyatt Vienna hotel, and it started crumbling under debts in late 2023 after failing to secure emergency funds.

But RoMA, which Benko is believed to have commissioned, is a jewel on its own: ahead of its time for its focus on sustainability and on par with larger vessels in terms of luxury features. The word "iconic" has lost some of its power these days through overuse, but RoMA is definitely an iconic superyacht.

It's just one of the five builds coming out of the unconventional yard Viareggio Superyachts (VSY) and the second of all, codenamed VSY62 and Viareggio 2. With a steel hull and aluminum superstructure, it was delivered in 2010 and comes with naval architecture by Espen Oeino and interiors by Newcruise and Gehr.

The brief called for "elegant simplicity," and RoMA is definitely elegant and most definitely not simple. Unless "simplicity" is code word for refined opulence. This 203-foot (62-meter) superyacht is the most sophisticated and elegant private oasis on water disguised as a family boat and delivered in a form factor that ensures maneuverability and cost efficiency, with impressive environmentally-friendly capabilities.

All VSY superyachts are "truly custom" builds with a focus on outstanding features and sustainability. RoMA is a good example in this sense, and its status as the most awarded charted yacht in MYBA (The Worldwide Yachting Association) history confirms it.

It is RINA Green Yacht certified, using tech that guarantees minimal disruption to the environment and a reduction of its overall carbon footprint. Among the features made public are green anchoring, black and gray water sewage treatment, CFC-free refrigeration systems, and oily bilge water separator.

Above everything else, though, RoMA is spectacularly beautiful. Under the guise of simple elegance, it hides almost decadently sumptuous finishes and materials: natural marble and stones, Macassar ebony, Madras silks, and Townsend fine leathers, all working together to create sophisticated but not overwhelming interiors, basked in natural light with help from expansive glazing. The master suite, for one, also boasts 270-degree panoramic views.

Accommodation onboard is for 12 guests across six suites and 18 crew in separate quarters, while amenities rival what you'd find on a much bigger vessel. These include a private cinema, a "palatial" atrium with a winding staircase, a full-size and fully-equipped gymnasium with a wellness area (with sauna and massage rooms), a jacuzzi pool on the sun deck with an oversize lounge area, bars, and various indoor and outdoor lounge areas.

These are capped with a packed tender garage that includes everything from scuba diving gear (RoMA also boasts of being the first yacht to be licensed as a PADI Superyacht Dive Boat) and a large variety of watertoys to inflatables (including a 65.6-foot/20-meter water slide) and a matching Anvera 55-foot (16-meter) tender.

Twin Caterpillar engines of 2,680 hp each move this 1,090 GT superyacht to a max speed of 17 knots (19.5 mph/31.5 kph) while cruising leisurely at 14 knots (16 mph/26 kph).

RoMA might be an older vessel, but it was refitted as recently as 2019, and, as the photos in the gallery and the video below show, it has aged like fine wine, not losing an ounce of its original appeal. Sophisticated elegance is timeless, after all. RoMA is "proof that you can have it all," to paraphrase the listing – down to a surprising discount from its initial valuation.