Hungarian authorities seize millions in cash during investigation of former minister

Hungarian authorities seized millions in cash during a two-day investigation targeting former Minister of National Development Miklós Seszták. The National Asset Recovery and Protection Office conducted searches on Thursday and Friday across Budapest and three other Hungarian counties. Investigators recovered large sums of Hungarian forints, euros, and US dollars from various locations, including forests, agricultural buildings, warehouses, residential properties, and a safe located in a remote area.

Details of the seizure

The total amount of cash seized includes 5,071,632,000 forints, 2,658,350 euros, and 1,257,100 US dollars. Following the discovery, twelve employees of the Hungarian State Treasury spent eight hours counting the money using five machines. The seized funds have been transferred to the Hungarian State Treasury.

While the exact total value of the cash varies across different reports, the investigation involves significant sums. Some reports estimate the total value of the seized cash at 17.5 million euros or 17.7 million euros, while one outlet reported the value at 19.5 million US dollars.

Corruption investigation scope

The investigation focuses on Miklós Seszták, who held the position of Minister of National Development from 2014 to 2018. Authorities suspect Miklós Seszták of receiving over 33 million euros in bribes and illegal commissions. The corruption allegations are linked to state construction projects and the procurement of used buses for a state transport company. Miklós Seszták was previously detained in late September 2026.

Political implications and context

The crackdown occurs under the administration of Prime Minister Péter Magyar, who won the April elections and has committed to investigating corruption from the previous administration of Viktor Orbán. Regarding the investigation, Prime Minister Péter Magyar stated that the discovery marks the official end of the Fidesz-KDNP mafia. Prime Minister Péter Magyar also stated that Viktor Orbán is a proven mafia boss and Fidesz is a criminal organization.

The investigation into the previous administration follows a long period of governance under Viktor Orbán. While the current government has focused on investigating corruption from the previous era, the scale of the recent seizure highlights the ongoing efforts to recover state assets.

Glossary

• National Asset Recovery and Protection Office — The National Asset Recovery and Protection Office is an autonomous prosecuting government agency in Hungary. It is tasked with investigating cases of public assets misuse and recovering unlawfully acquired assets.
• Hungarian State Treasury — The Hungarian State Treasury is an institution that received seized funds. It was formerly known as the Royal Postal Savings Bank.
• Minister of National Development — The Minister of National Development is a government position. Miklós Seszták held this position from 2014 to 2018.