Hungarian authorities have discovered nearly $20 million (£14.8m) in hidden cash during an investigation into a former minister who served under long-time leader Viktor Orbán.
Investigation into Former Minister
Miklós Seszták, who held the position of minister of national development for four years during Orbán’s 16-year governance, faces allegations of taking bribes in connection with a state transport company scheme. He has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Following a two-day operation across multiple secluded areas in the country, investigators recovered stacks of banknotes placed inside safes, buried underground in forests, and concealed within agricultural buildings, residential properties, and warehouses. The National Asset Recovery and Protection Office (NVVH) reported that the total sum included 5,071,632,000 forints, €2,658,350, and $1,257,100, bringing the combined value to approximately $19.5 million. The agency confirmed that the money has now been transferred to the Hungarian State Treasury.
Political Shift and Crackdown
Prime Minister Péter Magyar secured a landslide electoral victory in April by pledging a comprehensive anti-corruption campaign, ultimately replacing Orbán. Following the weekend cash discovery, Magyar declared the event marked the end of the “mafia.”
The NVVH itself was created specifically to probe corruption claims dating back to the Orbán administration, an initiative Magyar refers to as “Operation Purgatory.” During his campaign, Magyar promised voters a “regime change” and has actively worked to reverse numerous policies from the previous administration.
Orbán’s tenure was frequently marked by allegations of corruption and cronyism, with the European Union describing Hungary under his leadership as an “electoral autocracy.” Although his administration faced persistent accusations of awarding profitable public contracts to close allies, Orbán has vehemently denied all such claims.
Legal pressure has mounted against several high-ranking figures from the former government. Seszták, another former minister, and former central bank chief Gyorgy Matolcsy have remained under arrest since September regarding separate graft investigations, and all deny the accusations against them.
Authorities also detained Orbán’s brother alongside three other individuals in connection with a human-smuggling investigation. In response, the former prime minister condemned the action as politically motivated revenge, stating that the objective is to eliminate political opposition and establish a one-party system, while maintaining that his younger brother is merely being used as a tool against him.
