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Private Jets Linked to Orbán Circle Allegedly Carried Russian Cash and Valuables
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Hungarian investigative journalist Szabolcs Panyi alleged that government and private planes linked to officials in Viktor Orbán’s circle may have secretly carried cash and valuables out of Russia, according to European Pravda on March 26.
The Ukrainian outlet reported that Panyi published the claim on Facebook, in which he examined that information about the alleged flights had circulated within the national security services of EU and NATO countries as early as 2016 and 2017.
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He added that he later secured confirmation from officials in at least six different countries.
According to the report, Panyi wrote that the information did not come from surveillance of Hungarian officials themselves.
Instead, the officials he spoke with relied on intercepted conversations in which Russian officials allegedly discussed the preparation of cash and valuables for transport on Hungarian aircraft returning from Russia.
Panyi also linked the publication of those allegations to the espionage case launched against him by Hungary’s Justice Ministry on March 26.
European Pravda reported that he believes the case is connected to his reporting on the aircraft and that he fears the government could escalate the pressure with further fabricated accusations.
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The allegation surfaced after pro-government outlet Mandiner published an audio recording in which Panyi discussed knowledge of the reported wiretapping of Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó by a foreign intelligence service.
European Pravda reported that state-aligned media then branded the journalist a spy and began a public smear campaign against him.
Panyi had already released a transcript of a 2020 conversation he wrote, in which Szijjártó asked Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to help Robert Fico’s party win in Slovakia.
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The case also comes against a wider backdrop of alleged Russian efforts to manipulate Hungary’s political trajectory.
The allegation adds a darker dimension to concerns over Russian interference in Europe.
Operatives reportedly discussed staging an attack on Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to manipulate the country’s election campaign.
According to the report, the plan was not framed as a direct military assault, but as a political provocation designed to shape public sentiment and influence the campaign climate.
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