Hungarian Authorities Seize Millions in Cash During Corruption Probe Into Former Minister

Hungarian investigators seized millions in cash during searches conducted on November 12 and 13, 2026, as part of a corruption investigation involving former Minister of National Development Miklós Sehasták. The operation uncovered massive amounts of currency hidden in forests, agricultural buildings, warehouse buildings, a residential property, and inside a high-security safe. The total amount of cash seized included 5,071,632,000 forints, 2,658,350 euros, and 1,257,100 US dollars.

Scope of the investigation

The investigation focuses on Miklós Sehasták, who is suspected of receiving over 37.2 million US dollars in bribes and illegal commissions. Authorities allege the corruption involves state construction projects and the procurement of vehicle supplies for the state bus company. Miklós Sehasták served as Minister of National Development in the third Orbán government between 2014 and 2018. While the investigation proceeds, Miklós Sehasták denies all allegations and claims the safes discovered during searches contained only documents.

The searches were carried out in Budapest and the counties of Pest, Bács-Kiskun, and Nógrád. During the searches, investigators located two empty safes that weighed 1.66 tons each in a building linked to Miklós Sehasták. Following the discovery, twelve state treasury employees spent eight hours counting the cash using five machines. The seized funds were deposited into the Hungarian state treasury on November 13, 2026.

Institutional and political context

The National Asset Recovery Service (NVVH) is conducting the investigation. The NVVH is a new agency established by Prime Minister Péter Mártony that possesses both investigative and prosecutorial powers. Prime Minister Péter Mártony stated that the discovery marks the official end of the FIDESZ-KDNP mafia. These investigations follow the April 2026 parliamentary elections, in which the TISA party defeated the FIDESZ-KDNP coalition, ending 16 years of rule by Viktor Orbán.

Viktor Orbán has criticized the ongoing legal actions, stating that the investigations and arrests constitute political tyranny. In a separate development, police detained Áron Orbán, the younger brother of Viktor Orbán, on Monday for suspected human trafficking and influence peddling.

Disputed valuations of seized funds

The exact total value of the seized cash remains a subject of varying reports. While the specific amounts of forints, euros, and US dollars have been identified, different estimates exist regarding the total conversion. Some reports suggest the total value of the seized cash is approximately 6.5 billion forints or 19.5 million US dollars. Other estimates place the approximate total value of the seized cash at 18.1 million US dollars. Additionally, some sources indicate the total amount of suspected bribes reaches 12.6 billion forints.

Glossary

• forints — The forint is a currency denomination used in Hungary. It is issued in both coin and banknote forms.
• Budapest — Budapest is a city that was considered the twin town of Vienna during the era of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
• Bács-Kiskun — Bács-Kiskun is a Hungarian county. It is one of the counties that makes up the Dél-Alföld statistical region.
• Nógrád — Nógrád is a Hungarian border fort that was held by the Ottomans in 1551.