Hungary recovers nearly €17.7 million in hidden cash
Hungarian authorities have recovered cash worth nearly €17.7 million in a corruption investigation involving former National Development Minister Miklós Seszták, officials said.
Cash hidden across several locations
The two-day operation, conducted on November 12 and 13, covered Budapest and three Hungarian counties: Pest, Békés and Nógrád. Investigators discovered large amounts of cash buried in forests, concealed in agricultural buildings and warehouses, and stored in residential properties and high-value safes at secluded locations.
The recovered money included 5.07 billion Hungarian forints (approximately $15.33 million), €2.66 million (approximately $2.93 million) and $1.26 million. The funds were subsequently deposited into the Hungarian State Treasury.
Twelve Treasury employees spent eight hours counting the money using five specialised banknote-counting machines, Finance Minister András Kármán said. Officers from the National Bureau of Investigation, the Rapid Response Police and the National Tax and Customs Administration also took part in the operation.
Investigation targets former Orbán-era minister
The investigation concerns Miklós Seszták, who served as National Development Minister between 2014 and 2018 under former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Investigators suspect him of involvement in a bribery scheme involving contracts awarded by Hungary's state-owned bus operator and state-funded construction projects, including sports infrastructure developments.
The allegations concern illicit payments allegedly channelled through intermediaries in connection with public procurement contracts. Seszták has denied wrongdoing.
The former minister was taken into custody in late September after his parliamentary immunity was lifted. A court subsequently extended his pre-trial detention until January 30, 2027.
The recovery of the cash forms part of Prime Minister Péter Magyar's broader anti-corruption campaign targeting suspected abuses of public funds under the previous government.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
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