A Hungarian lawyer representing Oschadbank’s debt collectors is calling for Orbán’s arrest
29 June 12:19
Hungarian attorney Lorant Horvath, who represents the Ukrainian Oschadbank cash collectors detained in March, has filed a motion to bring criminal charges against formerViktor Orbán and three other former high-ranking officials. This was reported by "Komersant Ukrainian", citing the Hungarian publication 24.hu.
The lawyer believes that Orbán and the other individuals involved should be notified of the charges against them, and that the issue of their arrest and detention should be considered at the same time.
Who the lawyer is seeking to hold accountable
In his petition, Lorant Horvath named four former Hungarian officials:
- Viktor Orbán—former Prime Minister of Hungary;
- János Hajdú—former head of the Counterterrorism Center;
- Orsa Farkas—former state secretary who oversaw the work of the national security services;
- Tamás Demeter—former deputy head of the National Tax and Customs Administration for criminal and law enforcement matters.
According to the attorney, the investigation should determine their possible role in the detention of the Ukrainian cash collectors, the seizure of valuables, and the subsequent deportation of the bank employees.
The court has not found any of the named individuals guilty in this case.
What crimes does the lawyer suspect the former officials of?
According to 24.hu, the motion refers to seven possible criminal incidents.
Among them, the attorney cites:
- unlawful deprivation of liberty;
- unlawful deprivation of liberty with malicious intent;
- cruel treatment of detainees;
- coercion to testify;
- possible abuse of official position;
- obstruction of procedural rights;
- other related actions by officials.
This is the classification proposed by a representative of the debt collectors. It is up to Hungarian law enforcement agencies to ultimately determine whether a crime was committed and who may be notified of suspicion.
Why Did the Lawyer Mention Orbán’s Arrest?
Lorant Horvath believes that if charges are filed, there is a risk of obstructing the criminal proceedings.
According to him, former officials could:
- influence witnesses;
- coordinate their testimony;
- conceal documents;
- obstruct the establishment of the chain of command;
- use their former professional connections.
That is why the attorney proposes considering detention and subsequently filing a motion with the court to remand the suspects in custody.
What the investigation needs to determine
According to Horvat, the main question is whether Hungarian law enforcement had legal grounds for the operation against the Ukrainian bank convoy.
The investigation must determine whether the detention was based on genuine criminal suspicion or whether it was carried out in accordance with a pre-determined political or administrative decision.
The lawyer insists that the following must be investigated:
- who ordered the cash-in-transit vehicles to be stopped;
- who made the decision to deploy the special forces unit;
- on the basis of which documents the employees were detained;
- who ordered the seizure of the money and gold;
- whether the operation had a political motive;
- whether pressure was exerted on the cash transport employees during interrogations;
- Why were the bank employees not allowed to promptly contact their employer and attorney?
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What Happened to the Oschadbank Cash Collectors
The incident occurred on March 5, 2026, in Hungary.
Hungarian law enforcement officials detained two Oschadbank cash-in-transit vehicles and seven bank employees.
According to official information from Oschadbank, the vehicles were transporting the following from Vienna to Kyiv:
- $40 million;
- 35 million euros;
- 9 kg of bank gold.
The transport was carried out under an international agreement between Oschadbank and Raiffeisen Bank Austria.
The Ukrainian bank stated that the shipment was processed in accordance with European customs procedures, and that the money and bank metals belonged to the state-owned Oschadbank.
The cash transporters were taken to the special forces building
In an interview with 24.hu, Lorant Horvath claimed that the bank employees were detained by masked men.
According to the lawyer, the cash collectors were handcuffed, put into cars, and taken to the building of the Hungarian Counter-Terrorism Center in Budapest.
Gorvat also stated that the detainees were not allowed to make phone calls. Oschadbank learned that the vehicles had been stopped thanks to a GPS tracking system for cargo.
The seven Oschadbank employees were returned to Ukraine on March 6.
The Hungarian side handed over the two cash-in-transit vehicles to the bank on March 12.
Oschadbank reported that some of the employees’ equipment and personal belongings were damaged or missing, so the bank began assessing the losses.
In May, the Hungarian side returned the seized cash and bank metals to Ukraine.
Oschadbank announced the return of the funds and valuables on its official website.
Hungary explained the seizure as being based on suspicion of money laundering
The Hungarian National Tax and Customs Administration stated that the operation was carried out due to suspicions of money laundering.
Representatives of the Hungarian government at the time also put forward theories about the cargo’s possible political purpose.
However, no public evidence was presented to show that the money was intended to finance Hungarian political forces.
In May, Oschadbank announced that the Hungarian authorities had completely revoked the decision regarding its employees. The corresponding statement was published on the bank’s website.
Why a political motive is being mentioned in the case
According to information from the journalistic project VSquare, as reported by 24.hu, the operation may have been part of a political provocation ahead of the parliamentary elections in Hungary.
The journalists’ sources suggested that the detention of the convoy was intended to create a pretext for accusing Ukraine of interfering in Hungarian politics.
The cash collectors’ lawyer is demanding an investigation into whether law enforcement agencies were used to advance the political and foreign policy goals of the government at the time.
What New Prime Minister Péter Magyar Said
Following the change in government, Hungary’s new Prime Minister Péter Magyar called on the prosecutor’s office to provide an immediate response regarding the investigation into the case.
He stated that it is necessary to establish the responsibility of the people who made key decisions and issued orders.
According to 24.hu, Magyar named Orbán, Farkas, Hajdu, and Demeter as officials whose roles should be examined by the investigation.
The new government has also launched an internal review of the circumstances surrounding the detention of the Ukrainian cash collectors and the seizure of Oschadbank’s property.
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