Hungarian authorities have recovered nearly $20 million in hidden cash during a bribery investigation into a former government minister.
Investigators discovered wads of banknotes stashed away in safes, buried in woodlands, and concealed across agricultural and residential buildings during a two-day search, authorities reported. The operation targeted Miklós Seszták, who served as the minister of national development under former leader Viktor Orbán.
The seized funds totaled 5,071,632,000 forints, €2,658,350, and $1,257,100, which brought the combined value to $19.5m. Finance Minister Andras Karman said that it took a dozen State Treasury workers eight hours of work with banknote counters to tally the retrieved money before it was deposited into the Hungarian State Treasury.
The National Asset Recovery and Protection Office (NVVH) was established to investigate allegations of corruption during the Orbán rule, whose administration faced accusations of offering lucrative government projects to allies. Following the completion of the searches across secluded locations, Prime Minister Péter Magyar described the recovery as the end of the “mafia.”
Seszták, who held office from 2014 to 2018, has denied any wrongdoing.
The Fidesz party released a statement on Facebook expressing hope that the published images had no connection to Seszták, noting that lawmakers swear an oath to abide by the law and that the political community cannot associate itself with anyone who fails to do so.
This is an individual criminal case, and the criminal proceedings must be kept strictly separate from our political community.
Bence Retvari, parliamentary group leader of the Christian Democrats
Peter Magyar wants to use it to portray the entire right as a criminal organisation. We reject this in the strongest possible terms! Retvari
In connection with separate graft investigations, two other former ministers from the Orbán government alongside former central bank chief Gyorgy Matolcsy are under arrest over accusations of graft, with all individuals denying any wrongdoing. Hungarian authorities also detained Orbán's brother and three others in relation to a people-smuggling case.
Viktor Orbán has strongly rejected the claims against his administration, dismissing the actions against his relatives and former officials as political revenge. In a statement, the former leader declared: “In this dirty game, the aim is the elimination of the political opponent and the establishment of a one-party system. I am the target, my younger brother is just a tool.”
The cash discovery is part of “Operation Purgatory”, an anti-graft drive launched by Prime Minister Péter Magyar.
Political scientist Gabor Torok observed that the vivid imagery of buried cash could severely damage the political standing of Fidesz.
Earlier coverage: Hungarian Anti-Graft Agency Seizes $19.5m in Hidden Cash
