Hungarian authorities seize millions in cash in corruption probe of former minister

Hungarian authorities have seized 17.7 million euros in cash as part of an anti-corruption investigation targeting Miklós Seszták, who served as Minister of National Development between 2014 and 2018 under former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. The National Asset Recovery and Protection Office (NVVH), a body established by the current administration, discovered the funds buried in forests and hidden in farm buildings, warehouses, and private residences during operations conducted on Thursday and Friday. Finance Minister Andras Karman noted that it took twelve treasury workers eight hours to count the seized currency.

Seszták faces allegations of accepting bribes related to the procurement of used buses by the state transport company at inflated prices. This investigation is a core component of "Operation Purgatory," an anti-graft campaign launched by the government of Prime Minister Peter Magyar, who assumed power in April after ousting Orbán. The recovered cash is currently held by authorities, and the former minister remains in custody while the investigation into his financial activities continues.