Hungary prepares criminal case against Viktor Orban over Oschadbank cash seizure

October 2, 2026 at 09:40 PM2 min

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Hungarian authorities are preparing a criminal case against former Prime Minister Viktor Orban over the March seizure of a Ukrainian Oschadbank cash transport vehicle. Lawyer Lorant Horvat said the investigation is nearing completion and could lead to the first official charges against Orban. The former premier is suspected of personally ordering the interception to exploit the situation for his own benefit.

Key Facts

The investigation stems from the March 6 seizure of a vehicle carrying Ukrainian Oschadbank cash couriers through Hungary.
Lawyer Lorant Horvat said this is the first case that could lead to formal charges against Orban, as the investigation is nearing completion.
Orban is suspected of personally ordering the interception of the vehicle to use the situation for his own benefit.
The seized cash included 40 million US dollars, 35 million euros, and 9 kilograms of gold being transported from Austria.
After the change of government, Budapest returned the seized money and valuables to Kyiv in full.

Investigation Status

The investigation into former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is nearing completion, according to lawyer Lorant Horvat. Horvat stated that this is the first case that could lead to formal charges against Orban. The probe was triggered by the March seizure of a vehicle carrying Ukrainian Oschadbank cash couriers. Hungarian authorities have not yet announced a date for any formal charges.

Allegations Against Orban

Orban is suspected of personally ordering the interception of the vehicle to use the situation for his own benefit. The Financial Times reported that the former premier allegedly gave the order to seize the cash transport. The seized assets included 40 million US dollars, 35 million euros, and 9 kilograms of gold being transported from Austria. The cash and valuables were linked by Hungarian authorities to the 'Ukrainian mafia'.

Return of Seized Assets

After the change of government, Budapest returned the seized money and valuables to Kyiv in full. The return included all cash and other valuables belonging to Oschadbank that were confiscated during the March 6 incident. The new Hungarian government has not commented on the ongoing investigation into Orban.