Hungary drops case against Ukrainian cashiers
Hungary closed a case against Ukrainian cash couriers. The Directorate for Criminal Cases of the National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary (NAV) terminated the investigation into money laundering allegations against Ukrainian cash couriers due to a lack of criminal evidence.
Consensus
- The Hungarian National Tax and Customs Authority (NAV) closed the investigation into the Ukrainian cashiers.
- The investigation was dropped due to the absence of a criminal offense.
- The cashiers were detained on March 5.
- The convoy included $40 million, €35 million, 9 kg of gold, and two armored vehicles.
- The assets were transferred from Raiffeisen Bank International AG in Austria to Ukrainsky Oshchadbank.
- The assets were returned to Ukraine in early May.
- The cashiers were released the day after their detention and sent back to Ukraine.
- The case involved a cross-border transfer of funds and gold under a legitimate banking agreement.
- The investigation found no evidence of money laundering or other crimes.
Points of divergence
- The detention order was personally issued by Viktor Orbán, then Prime Minister of Hungary. — tg_echoonline_news
- The detained cashiers were held in handcuffs for 28 hours, blindfolded, had their communication devices seized, and were denied access to a translator, lawyer, and consul. — tg_echoonline_news
- One of the detainees was forcibly injected with an unknown sedative substance. — tg_echoonline_news
- Hungarian officials, including Foreign Minister Peter Szijjártó, speculated that the cash might belong to the 'Ukrainian military mafia'. — tg_theinsider
- Some members of the ruling Fidesz party claimed the money could have been intended to fund the opposition party 'Tisza'. — tg_theinsider
- The Hungarian Parliament passed a bill to freeze funds seized from Oshchadbank. — vedomosti
- The detention and freezing of funds occurred during Viktor Orbán's leadership, when he demanded Ukraine resume oil transit via the Druzhba pipeline. — vedomosti
Coverage (4 sources)
- In Hungary, case against Ukrainian cash couriers concluded — Вести
- In Hungary, the case of the 'golden convoy' from Ukraine was closed — Ведомости
- Hungary closes case against Ukrainian cashiers — ЭХО / Новости
- Hungary closes case against Ukrainian Oshadbank cashiers detained with Orbán, $40 million, €35 million and 9 kg of gold... — The Insider
Key entities
- Hungary
- Hungary
- Laurant Horvat
- Oschadbank
- Orban
- National Tax and Customs Administration
- Moscow
- Russia
- Meta
- Ukraine
- Telex
- Directorate
- HVG
- National Tax Service