Orbán Could Face Charges Over Seizure of Ukraine’s €70 Million Cash and Gold Shipment
Prosecutors are examining claims that the seizure was politically ordered, as a June document cites Orbán and the case could lead to charges.
- A newly surfaced prosecution document from the Budapest Investigative Prosecutor's Office has intensified investigations into whether former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán personally ordered the March 5, 2026 seizure of €70 million in Ukrainian cash and gold.
- Counter Terrorism Centre units stopped two vehicles on the M0 motorway on March 5, 2026, detaining seven Ukrainian couriers and seizing 27 billion HUF in cash and gold on suspicion of money laundering.
- A prosecution note from a June 22, 2026 meeting records that former Counter Terrorism Centre head János Hajdu implied Orbán ordered the arrests, though the document does not itself establish a direct order.
- In a statement on Tuesday, Fidesz denied the allegations, accusing the "Ukrainian mafia" of manufacturing false claims and asserting the operation was a legitimate enforcement action against suspected money laundering.
- Investigations are widening as authorities examine reports that Áron Orbán, the former prime minister's brother, allegedly sought to intercept a separate Ukrainian shipment in Austria on March 26, 2026, as part of "Operation Cleansing Fire.
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The former Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orban, may be charged for the first time, writing the Financial Times, and the case concerns the illegal detention of Ukrainian Osjadbank employees.
Orbán Could Face Charges Over Seizure of Ukraine’s €70 Million Cash and Gold Shipment
Hungarian authorities are investigating whether former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán personally ordered the seizure of a vehicle carrying €70 million in cash and gold belonging to Ukraine’s state-owned Oschadbank, a case that could potentially lead to formal charges against him, Financial Times reported on October 2.
What had caused a stir in Hungary a few weeks earlier seems to have been repeated in Austria as well: the younger brother of the then Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is said to have tried to stop another transport of money for Ukraine. According to the Hungarian online medium 444.hu, Áron Orbán turned to a Graz entrepreneur – who instead informed the Austrian state protectors.
The brother of the then Hungarian Prime Minister approached a Graz entrepreneur with his request. However, the latter did not want to help, but informed the DSN.
The appeal was made two weeks before the election by Victor Orban Aron, the younger brother of the former Hungarian premiere, tried to arrange for Austria to intercept another Ukrainian shipment of money; his interviewee refused and informed the special service; this was reported by RBK-Ukraine with reference to an investigation into Hungarian publication 444. The journalists released correspondence from Aron Orban to a Austrian businessman in G…
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