Hungary discovers $30m in buried cash during corruption investigation
Hungarian authorities recovered nearly $30 million in cash during a bribery investigation into a former development minister.
Reported by The Sydney Morning HeraldClaims checked against the source, 13 h ago.
ShareWhy it matters
Corruption on a large scale undermines trust in government and weakens democracy. Uncovering and recovering hidden proceeds helps a country rebuild integrity.
In Australia. No direct Australian effect yet, but the corruption investigation signals a shift in Hungary's governance after 16 years under Orban, which matters for how the EU functions.
Key facts
- Nearly $30 million
- Cash recovered
- Development minister 2014 to 2018
- Sesztak's term
- Dozen treasury workers, 8 hours
- Counting crew
- 70 percent rated operation very important
- Public support
- Investigators found large amounts of cash hidden in many places.
- Some was buried in forests.
- Cash was also hidden in farm buildings, warehouses, and homes.
- Cash was also stored in a safe in a remote location.
- Finance Minister Andras Karman said it took twelve treasury workers eight hours and banknote counters to count all of it.
- The investigation focuses on Miklos Sesztak, who was development minister from 2014 to 2018.
- Sesztak has denied wrongdoing.
- His lawyer says the seized cash does not belong to Sesztak and involves other suspects too.
- The recovery is part of Prime Minister Peter Magyar's anti-corruption drive called Operation Purgatory.
- This was launched after Magyar ousted Orban in April.
- Magyar said the recovered cash marked the end of what he called a mafia led by Orban's party.
