Hungarian investigators have recovered approximately $19.5 million in cash hidden in forests, warehouses, agricultural buildings and private properties as part of a widening corruption investigation involving a former minister in Viktor Orbán’s government.
The discovery represents one of the most substantial seizures since Prime Minister Péter Magyar took office in April, promising to investigate allegations of corruption during his predecessor’s 16 years in power.
According to Hungary’s National Asset Recovery and Protection Office (NVVH), investigators conducted coordinated searches on November 12 and 13 in Budapest and the counties of Pest, Békés and Nógrád. The operation uncovered cash in three currencies, including bundles buried underground and money stored in expensive safes at secluded locations. The agency released photographs and videos showing investigators digging in forested areas and large quantities of banknotes subsequently arranged for counting.
Hungarian news outlets Telex, HVG and 444.hu reported that authorities recovered exactly 5,071,632,000 Hungarian forints, €2,658,350 and $1,257,100. Finance Minister András Kármán said 12 employees of the Hungarian State Treasury spent eight hours counting the money using five banknote-counting machines.
The funds were subsequently deposited with the Treasury while investigators continued examining their origin and possible connection to alleged criminal activity.
Former minister investigated over alleged multimillion-dollar bribery scheme
The investigation centers on Miklós Seszták, who served as Hungary’s national development minister between 2014 and 2018 under Orbán and remains a member of parliament representing the Christian Democratic People’s Party (KDNP), a longtime ally of Orbán’s Fidesz party.
According to the Hungarian state news agency MTI, investigators suspect Seszták and other individuals of receiving billions of forints in illicit payments connected to contracts involving the state-owned bus operator Volánbusz and public infrastructure projects. The alleged scheme involved overpriced purchases of secondhand buses and payments associated with government contracts between 2015 and 2018.
Hungarian investigative authorities have cited suspected illicit payments exceeding 11 billion forints, while other reports place the broader alleged bribery total at approximately 12.6 billion forints, equivalent to more than $37 million.
Seszták was detained in late September, and a court subsequently extended his pretrial detention until January 30, 2027, citing concerns that he might flee or interfere with the investigation.
The former minister denies wrongdoing. His attorney, Gábor Papp, told Telex on November 14 that authorities had not established that the seized cash belonged to his client. He emphasized that the criminal proceedings involve several suspects and that the official announcement did not identify Seszták as the owner of the money.
Magyar’s anti-corruption campaign intensifies political confrontation
The investigation forms part of a broader campaign launched by Prime Minister Péter Magyar following his Tisza party’s victory in Hungary’s April 2026 parliamentary elections, which ended Orbán’s 16-year tenure. Magyar has promised to restore public accountability, strengthen relations with the European Union and investigate suspected misuse of state resources under previous administrations.
Following the announcement of the cash seizure, Magyar declared on social media that the discovery represented the end of what he described as the Fidesz-KDNP criminal network. His government has characterized its investigations as an effort to recover public assets and establish accountability for alleged corruption involving senior officials.
Orbán has accused the new government of conducting politically motivated investigations intended to discredit his party and remove him from public life. KDNP parliamentary leader Bence Rétvári has urged Seszták to relinquish his parliamentary mandate while defending himself, while rejecting allegations that the criminal investigation implicates the broader political alliance.
Public opinion suggests substantial support for investigating suspected wrongdoing. According to a Median survey published by Hungarian weekly HVG, approximately 70% of respondents considered investigations into alleged corruption under Orbán and accountability for those responsible to be very important.
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!
