Cash in the forest, in warehouses and hiding places: 20 million dollars were found during the investigation against a former minister of the Orban government.
In Hungary, investigators discovered nearly $20 million worth of bills as part of an investigation into former National Development Minister Miklos Szastak (pictured). He worked in Viktor Orban's government in 2014-2018, the official is suspected of receiving more than 37 million dollars in bribes and kickbacks. According to the researchers, large sums were buried in the forests, which were hidden in agricultural buildings, warehouses and residential buildings. Some were kept in a safe.
In total, the authorities seized 5.07 billion Hungarian forints, 2.66 million euros and 1.26 million dollars. Counting the bills required the work of 12 state treasury employees for eight hours. They used five counting machines. The Anti-Corruption Agency released a video of the searches. In the footage, investigators are seen kneeling next to huge piles of tied bundles of cash and digging money out of the ground in the woods at night. After the withdrawal, all funds were transferred to the treasury account.
According to the researchers, the bribe may be related to the purchase of used buses for government companies at exorbitant prices and the execution of construction projects at the expense of the state. Shastak was arrested at the end of September; He denies the allegations. The investigation became part of a wide-ranging anti-corruption campaign by new Prime Minister Peter Magyar.