Hungary Finds Nearly $20M in Corruption Investigation
WHO:
Al Jazeera - Miklos Sesztak was Hungary’s development minister from 2014 to 2018; he is suspected of receiving more than $37.2 million in bribes and kickbacks and denies wrongdoing.
BBC - Sesztak and another former minister, along with former central bank chief Gyorgy Matolcsy, have been under arrest since September in separate graft investigations; all deny wrongdoing.
Al Jazeera - Prime Minister Peter Magyar leads the centre-right, pro-European Tisza party, which ended Viktor Orban’s 16 years in power.
Al Jazeera - Fidesz is Orban’s right-wing party; the Christian Democratic People’s Party (KDNP) was its smaller governing ally.
Al Jazeera - The National Asset Recovery and Protection Office is a new agency established to investigate suspected misuse of public money.
Al Jazeera - Finance Minister Andras Karman said 12 treasury employees counted the recovered money.
Al Jazeera - Matolcsy’s case concerns alleged misuse of public assets held by a central bank foundation; he has denied wrongdoing.
WHAT:
Al Jazeera - Hungarian investigators found nearly $20 million—reported as $19.5 million—in hidden Hungarian forints, euros and US dollars during a corruption investigation.
Al Jazeera - The cash was found in farm buildings, warehouses, a home, a “high-value safe in a secluded location,” and beneath forest ground; it was deposited with the state treasury.
Al Jazeera - The probe involving Sesztak concerns allegedly overpriced secondhand bus purchases by a state transport company and government construction projects.
Al Jazeera - Magyar described the recovery as signaling the end of what he called the “Fidesz-KDNP mafia.”
Al Jazeera - A Median poll published by Hungarian news website HVG found 70 percent of respondents considered investigating suspected corruption under Orban and holding those responsible accountable very important.
WHERE:
Al Jazeera - Searches took place in Budapest and three other parts of Hungary; cash was also dug out of forests.
WHEN:
Al Jazeera - Searches took place on “November 12 and 13.”
Al Jazeera - Karman said the 12 treasury employees spent eight hours counting the money.
WHY:
Al Jazeera - The searches were conducted as part of a corruption probe into suspected misuse of public money and alleged corruption during Orban’s rule.
Al Jazeera - Sesztak is suspected of receiving bribes and kickbacks linked to transport purchases and government construction projects.
HOW:
Al Jazeera - Investigators searched properties and forest locations, recovered the cash, and transferred it to the state treasury.
Al Jazeera - The agency released footage of officers digging outdoors after dark and examining piles of cash.
(UPDATED November 14, 2026 13:01 UTC)
Hungarian investigators uncovered nearly twenty million dollars in hidden cash during corruption searches. The money, found in buildings and buried in forests, was transferred to the state treasury. Former minister Miklos Sesztak is suspected of taking bribes; he denies wrongdoing.