14.11.2026 14:51
A striking development has occurred in a corruption investigation targeting a minister who served during former Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s era in Hungary. During searches carried out in different parts of the country, approximately 20 million dollars in cash hidden in farm buildings and buried in forested areas was seized. Following the operation, new Prime Minister Peter Magyar made a statement: “The end of the mafia.”
Millions of dollars in cash have been found as part of corruption investigations into former government officials in Hungary. According to a BBC report, during searches lasting two days in remote spots in different parts of the country, bundles of money hidden in safes and buried in the ground were uncovered.
FORMER MINISTER ACCUSED OF CORRUPTION
At the center of the investigation is Miklos Seszták, who served as Minister of National Development for four years during Viktor Orban's 16-year rule.
Seszták is accused of accepting bribes under a scheme linked to a state-owned transport company. The former minister denies the allegations against him.
THEY BURIED THE MONEY IN FORESTS
According to a statement by the National Asset Recovery and Protection Office (NVVH), inspectors carried out large-scale searches at various locations across the country.
During the searches, it was determined that some of the cash was hidden in safes, while some was buried in the ground in forested areas. Large amounts of cash were also seized in agricultural and residential buildings and warehouses.
EXACTLY $19.5 MILLION SEIZED
According to information announced by the authorities, the distribution of the money found in the operations by currency is as follows:
- 5 billion 71 million 632 thousand Hungarian forints
- 2 million 658 thousand 350 euros
- 1 million 257 thousand 100 US dollars
The total value of the seized money was reported to be approximately $19.5 million. The cash was deposited in the Hungarian State Treasury.
"END OF THE MAFIA" MESSAGE FROM THE NEW PRIME MINISTER
Prime Minister Peter Magyar, who defeated Viktor Orban by a wide margin in the elections held in April, had promised to launch a comprehensive anti-corruption campaign when taking office.
Magyar described the millions of dollars in cash found in the operations with the words "End of the mafia."
He calls the work carried out by the NVVH, which was established to investigate corruption allegations regarding the Orban era, the "Purgatory Operation."
FORMER MINISTERS AND CENTRAL BANK GOVERNOR ALSO UNDER INVESTIGATION
The investigations were not limited to Seszták. It was stated that another former minister and former Central Bank Governor György Matolcsy have also been in custody since September as part of separate corruption investigations.
All three names mentioned in the investigations deny the allegations against them.
ORBAN'S BROTHER ALSO DETAINED
Another development linked to the former government occurred in Hungary on Monday. Authorities detained Viktor Orban's brother and three people as part of a migrant smuggling investigation.
Former Prime Minister Orban described what happened as political revenge.
Orban said, "The aim in this dirty game is to eliminate a political rival and establish a one-party system. The target is me; my younger brother is merely a tool."