Nearly €20m in cash found buried and hidden in Hungary bribery probe of former minister
Hungarian authorities have recovered nearly €20 million in cash that had been buried in forests and hidden in warehouses, residential properties and a high-value safe. The money turned up during searches on Thursday and Friday, part of a bribery investigation into former minister Miklós Seszták, who served under former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Seszták is in pre-trial detention and denies wrongdoing.
The National Asset Recovery and Protection Office, an anti-corruption body, said the haul comprised more than 5 billion forints, €2.6 million and a further €1.2 million. It was found at locations in Budapest and in Pest, Békés and Nógrád counties. Finance Minister Kármán András said it took 12 Treasury staff eight hours, using five counting machines, to tally the cash.
Prime Minister Peter Magyar, who ousted Orbán earlier this year and launched a broad anti-corruption campaign, wrote on Facebook that the discovery "officially marks the end for the Fidesz-KDNP mafia", a reference to Orbán's government.
The announcement follows the detention of Aron Orbán, the former prime minister's brother, in a people-smuggling investigation, which Magyar announced on Monday. Viktor Orbán called that move a "political witch-hunt" aimed at him. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk responded wryly on X, telling "Dear Victor" he had always admired his creativity but was now impressed as never before.
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