$19.5M cash buried in forests linked to ex-minister probe
Hungarian authorities have seized $19.5 million in cash buried in forests and hidden in buildings as part of a corruption investigation into former government ministers. The probe targets the era of former Prime Minister Viktor Orban, focusing on bribery schemes involving state contracts.
Why it matters
This investigation highlights significant efforts to address systemic corruption and financial misconduct within a European government.
Viktor Orban ruled Hungary as the Prime Minister for 16 years from 2010 to 2026 and was characterised by systemic corruption and crony capitalism. Evidence of the same has been appearing even after his term ended, with a long-awaited celebration in April this year. On Friday, Hungary's anti-corruption agency announced that it had seized cash worth $19.5M buried in forests and hidden elsewhere while investigating an ex-minister from Orbán's cabinet, as per a report by The Guardian.Miklós Seszták, Hungary’s minister of national development between 2014 and 2018, is accused of taking bribes in a scheme involving the state transport company, purchasing secondhand buses at inflated prices.
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