Sonja Kohn
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Sonja Kohn(born August 5, 1948 inVienna) is anAustrianbanker.
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 husbandErwin Kohn,she started an import-export business and moved toMilan,Italy.
In 1984 she founded theBank Mediciin Vienna. One year later, she moved to New York. They lived inMonsey,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, theEurovaleur Inc.In New York City she became known as “Austria’s woman onWall Street.”
In 1990s, they moved back to Vienna. There, she cooperated withGerhard RandaofBank Austria. TheBank Mediciwas relaunched in 2003 as anAktiengesellschaft.Sonja is shareholder of 75 percent and is head of the bank's supervising board. She also became consultant of theVienna Stock Exchangeand was member of the supervisory board of ItalianFinlombardiabank.[1].
Madoff Connection
The Bank Medici directed funds from investors toBernard Madoff.Kohn disappeared from public view after the disclosure of the securitiesfraudconducted by him either to hide from unhappy clients, or from embarrassment at being involved in the affair, or worse[2].Following this, Bank Medici has decided on March 19, 2009 to wind down all banking business and to relinquish the banking license.[3]