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Hungary Finds $19.5m in Cash Buried and Hidden in Orbán Minister Probe

Investigators in Hungary have recovered cash worth about $19.5 million from forests, farm buildings and other hidden spots as part of a bribery probe into

By matthew jonathan

November 14, 20261 min read

Hungary Finds $19.5m in Cash Buried and Hidden in Orbán Minister Probe. (AI Illustration)

Investigators in Hungary have recovered cash worth about $19.5 million from forests, farm buildings and other hidden spots as part of a bribery probe into a former minister under Viktor Orbán, officials said.

Miklós Seszták served as minister of national development for four of Orbán's 16 years in power. He is accused of taking bribes in a scheme involving the state transport company. He has denied any wrongdoing.

Cash in safes, woods and warehouses

The National Asset Recovery and Protection Office (NVVH) said in a statement that its teams found banknotes in safes and buried in woodland. More was tucked away in agricultural and residential buildings and warehouses, in secluded places across the country.

The haul totaled 5,071,632,000 forints, €2,658,350 and $1,257,100, the office said. Combined, that comes to $19.5 million, or about £14.8 million. The money has been paid into the Hungarian State Treasury.

The search ran for two days.

A new government's anti-corruption pledge

Péter Magyar became prime minister after unseating Orbán in a landslide election in April. He campaigned on a promise to launch a sweeping anti-corruption drive.

On Friday, after the search ended, Magyar described the find as the end of the "mafia".

Seszták denies the allegations against him.