Ukraine Praises End to Hungary's 'Gold Convoy' Investigation, Calls for More Accountability
NAV said documents showed the cash and gold came from a lawful interbank transfer, while separate probes into the detention of seven Ukrainians continue.
- Hungary's tax and customs authority, NAV, closed its money-laundering investigation into Ukrainian cash transporters on August 19, finding no criminal activity linked to the seized assets.
- The operation began when Hungary's Counter Terrorism Centre stopped a 'gold convoy' near Budapest shortly before the parliamentary election. Government officials publicly linked the incident to a Ukrainian 'war mafia,' transforming law-enforcement into political controversy.
- Authorities seized USD 40 million, EUR 35 million, and nine kilograms of gold during the operation. NAV determined the assets originated from legitimate interbank transactions between Raiffeisen Bank International and JSC Oschadbank.
- Although the money-laundering investigation closed, a separate case involves TEK Director-General János Hajdu, reportedly suspected of unlawful detention of seven Ukrainian citizens during the initial operation.
- The remaining investigation now focuses on whether Hungarian law-enforcement officers acted lawfully. Relations between Viktor Orbán's government and Ukraine remain tense over war support and EU policy toward Kyiv.
30 Articles
30 Articles
Hungary Drops Money Laundering Case Against Oschadbank Cash Convoy
Hungary's tax authority has closed its money laundering probe into the Oschadbank cash convoy seized in March, finding the funds' origin lawful, the bank's lead attorney said, as a related detention probe continues.
The procedure had already been suspended earlier, but now the Austrian official certificate has arrived confirming the origin of the banknotes and precious metals, as well as confirming that the purchase documentation was in order.
Ukraine praises end to Hungary's 'gold convoy' investigation, calls for more accountability
Hungarian authorities seized two bank vehicles in March traveling from Austria to Ukraine that were transporting a shipment of cash and gold worth about $82 million, claiming they were investigating a money laundering scheme.
Sybiha on closure of case against Oschadbank cash collectors in Hungary: Predictable end to Orbán's lies
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha called the Hungarian law enforcement authorities' closure of the case regarding the transport of Oschadbank funds and gold "a predictable end of Viktor Orbán's lies."
Ukrainian gold convoy case in Hungary: what authorities found
Hungary’s tax and customs authority has closed the money-laundering investigation connected to the Hungary-Ukrainian gold convoy case, finding no evidence that the large quantities of cash and gold seized from Ukrainian couriers came from criminal activity. The case drew national attention before Hungary’s parliamentary election after heavily armed counter-terrorism officers intercepted the transport near Budapest.Continue reading
In Hungary, the case of the Golden Convoy against the Ukrainian debt collectors closed the case of the “Golden Convoy” due to the absence of a crime. Origin of cash, gold and banknotes confirmed Raiffeisen Bank International AG.
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