Hungary drops fabricated case against Ukrainian cash-in-transit officers

Hungary's National Tax and Customs Administration (NAV) has closed criminal proceedings against Ukrainian cash-in-transit officers who were detained on suspicion of money laundering, citing the absence of a criminal offence.

Source: European Pravda, citing a Facebook post by Lóránt Horváth, the officers' lawyer; Hungarian magazine HVG

Quote from Horváth: "Due to the absence of a criminal offence, NAV has closed the investigation into the 'gold convoy' case! No money laundering took place!"

Details: He added that, in its decision to close the investigation, NAV explained that the origin of the allegedly unidentified cash, gold and banknotes listed in the report and seized during the search had been established. They had come from an interbank transaction between Raiffeisen Bank International AG and Ukraine's state-owned Oschadbank.

The lawyer stressed that Raiffeisen Bank International AG had confirmed this in documentary evidence.

The decision also stated that evidence obtained during the criminal proceedings confirmed that the property was not the proceeds of a crime and that its origin had been established. It also noted that no other offence apart from money laundering had been suspected in the case.

Background:

• In early March, the National Bank of Ukraine reported that Hungarian authorities had detained Ukrainian cash-in-transit guards and seized a large amount of currency. The valuables in the seized vehicles amounted to US$40 million, €35 million and 9 kilograms of gold. The customer was Ukraine's state-owned Oschadbank, while the sender was Raiffeisen Bank in Vienna.
• The government of Viktor Orbán suggested that the transfer of money may have been illegal, prompting suspicions of money laundering. Some politicians from Orbán's Fidesz party even claimed that the money was intended to finance the election campaign of the now-governing Tisza party.
• Earlier, Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar announced an investigation into the actions of certain Hungarian authorities in connection with the seizure of Ukrainian cash-in-transit officers and Oschadbank funds in March 2026.
• On 6 May, Hungary returned the Oschadbank money and valuables to Ukraine after they were seized by Hungary after the officers' detention.
• Fedir Shandor, Ukraine's Ambassador to Hungary, stressed that the important thing in the case was not simply the return of the property, but also ensuring that those responsible were held accountable.

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