In Hungary, law enforcement officers seized cash totalling around 19.5 million dollars, some of which had been buried in the woods. The money was discovered during searches carried out on 12–13 November 2026 as part of an investigation into Miklós Sesták, a former Minister for National Development who served in Viktor Orbán’s government. The discovery was reported by Hungary’s National Office for Asset Recovery and Protection (NVVH). The information was confirmed by Reuters and the Associated Press. However, there is no evidence that Orbán personally buried the money.
Where were nearly 20 million dollars found?
According to the NVVH, law enforcement officers carried out large-scale searches in Budapest and three Hungarian counties — Pest, Békés and Nógrád.
Investigators discovered cash in several hiding places: some of the money had been buried in the woods, whilst other sums were kept in farm buildings, storage facilities, a residential property and a high-security safe in a remote location.
In total, the police seized:
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5,071,632,000 Hungarian forints;
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2,658,350 euros;
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1,257,100 US dollars.
The total value of the items found is approximately 19.5 million dollars.
Minister of Finance Hungary András Karman He reported that 12 employees of the State Treasury had been brought in to count the cash. They worked for eight hours, using five banknote-counting machines.
All the seized funds were transferred to the Hungarian State Treasury.
Who is suspected of corruption?
The searches were carried out as part of criminal proceedings against the former Minister for National Development Miklós Sestak, who held the post from 2014 to 2018 during the reign of Viktor Orban.
According to the investigation, Shestak may have received bribes and illegal payments in return for facilitating the public procurement of buses at inflated prices, as well as for his involvement in construction projects.
The total amount of suspected illegal payments is estimated at over 37 million dollars.
The former minister was taken into custody at the end of September 2026. He denies any wrongdoing.
Shestak’s solicitor Gábor Papp He told the Hungarian publication Telex that the official statement from the law enforcement agencies does not establish that the seized cash belongs to his client. According to the defence lawyer, there are other suspects in the case, and the funds found do not belong to Shestak.
Is Viktor Orbán involved in the discovery of the money?
At present, the police have not reported any evidence that he personally Viktor Orban either concealed the millions he had found or was their owner.
The investigation is taking place against the backdrop of a large-scale anti-corruption campaign by Hungary’s new Prime Minister Peter Magyar.
Mádyar came to power following the parliamentary elections in April 2026, in which his party, «Tisa», defeated Orbán’s political party, «Fidesz», bringing to an end the previous prime minister’s 16-year reign.
The new government has promised to investigate possible corruption schemes and the misuse of public funds under the previous administration.
Following the discovery of the cash, Magyar sharply criticised the country’s former leadership, accusing Orbán’s inner circle of creating a system of corruption. His accusations are a political statement, not a fact established by a court.
Orbán himself had previously described the investigation into his allies as political persecution aimed at removing him from the country’s political life.
What will happen to the millions that have been seized?
The anti-corruption campaign in Hungary is continuing. In addition to Shestak, other former high-ranking officials are implicated in various criminal proceedings, including former government officials and the former head of the central bank György Matolcsy.
Law enforcement officers also arrested his younger brother Viktor Orban as part of a separate case relating to allegations of human trafficking and abuse of influence.
As at 14 November 2026, the $19.5 million that has been seized remains in the custody of the Hungarian authorities. The investigation is ongoing, and the ultimate origin of the money and the liability of those involved are to be determined by the investigation and the courts.
