Viktor Orbán's Brother Detained in Hungary on Human Trafficking Suspicion
Áaron Orbán was detained on Monday as part of an operation by Hungary's anti-corruption office. The case involves the illegal acquisition of Schengen visas for Vietnamese citizens.
Former Hungarian Prime Minister's Brother Arrested in Anti-Corruption Operation
Áaron Orbán, brother of former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, was detained on Monday on suspicion of involvement in human trafficking, according to publico.pt. The detention was confirmed by current Prime Minister Péter Magyar in a Facebook post.
The operation was conducted by the NVVH — National Asset Recovery Office, established by Magyar to investigate diverted funds, contracts and assets from the previous administration. The Central District Court of Buda ordered the detention of two suspects in the same case.
The NVVH had assumed, in September, four investigations related to influence trafficking and human trafficking, linked to high-level political figures. The independent Hungarian newspaper Telex had already established a connection between these investigations and Áaron Orbán before his detention.
Áaron Orbán is the owner of Multi Shoot Zrt., a company dedicated to the purchase, sale and management of shooting ranges. Suspicion falls on the enrolment of Vietnamese citizens in a two-day first aid course at the University of Pécs. According to the newspaper Népszava, Áaron used his contacts with the university's rectorate to accelerate the process. Through contacts with a commissioner from the previous Government — who is also suspected — he allegedly expedited the obtaining of residence permits and, consequently, Schengen visas for these citizens. Multi Shoot Zrt. allegedly paid 30,000 euros for each group of 20 Vietnamese citizens trained.
Magyar added that the National Investigation Office and the NVVH are monitoring the case jointly. In a second post, the Prime Minister accused Viktor Orbán of, "as usual", having "pointed the finger at others and positioned himself as a victim".
Viktor Orbán responded on X, stating that the Government "should be called to account before the National Security Commission for how it has handled files from the communist-era secret police". The president of Fidesz, a conservative populist right-wing party, further accused Magyar's administration of resorting to tactics "from the communist-era secret police" with the aim of "eliminating opponents and establishing a one-party state". Orbán stated that he was "the real target" and believed that his brother was "simply being used to reach" him.
Magyar came to power following a decisive victory in April's elections, which ended the Orbán era. Since then, the so-called "Operation Purge" — the investigation of alleged cases of corruption and abuse of power from the previous administration — has become one of the Government's priorities. At the end of September, two of Orbán's former ministers, Miklós Seszták and Balázs Hankó, were detained on suspicion of corruption after having their immunity removed. Gyorgy Matolcsy, former governor of the National Bank, is another figure from Orbán's sphere who is under investigation.
Source: Google News PT — Crime (pt)