Hungarian investigators recovered almost $20 million (£14.8 million) in cash hidden in farm buildings and buried in forests during a probe into former national development minister Miklós Seszták. The money, comprising 5,071,632,000 forints, €2,658,350 and $1,257,100, was found in secluded locations across the country and has been deposited into the Hungarian State Treasury.
Seszták, who served under former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán for four years, faces accusations of accepting bribes as part of a scheme involving the state transport company. He has denied any wrongdoing. The National Asset Recovery and Protection Office (NVVH) said the cash was discovered in safes, buried in woodlands, and hidden in agricultural and residential buildings and warehouses.
Prime Minister Péter Magyar, who won a landslide victory in April on an anti‑corruption platform, described the discovery as the end of the “mafia” and dubbed the broader effort “Operation Purgatory.” He has pledged to undo many Orbán‑era policies and has already detained several former officials, including Orbán’s brother, in separate investigations.
Orbán has dismissed the investigations as political revenge, claiming that the aim is to eliminate political opponents and establish a one‑party system. He maintains that he is the target and his brother is merely a tool.
As the probe continues, authorities are expected to release further details on the extent of the alleged corruption network and any additional assets seized.
