Hungary Detains Viktor Orbán’s Brother in Smuggling Probe

Prime Minister Péter Magyar confirmed on Tuesday that Hungarian authorities had detained Viktor Orbán’s younger brother, Aron, as part of a people-smuggling investigation. Magyar made the announcement from Berlin, where he was addressing an audience, noting that three former ministers from Orbán’s government are also already in custody.

The national asset protection and recovery office, known as the NVVH, released a statement saying it and police detained four individuals and searched homes in Budapest and Pest county. The agency identified the suspects as one woman and three men. Police said they are suspected of human smuggling committed as part of a criminal conspiracy for financial gain. The group allegedly helped Vietnamese citizens reach western Europe during several months in 2024.

According to the authorities, the suspects charged visa applicants with a recruitment fee at Hungarian foreign missions in Vietnam. They then shared those fees among themselves. This case is part of a larger anti-graft campaign led by the current government.

Magyar ousted Orbán in an April election. He established the NVVH to investigate corruption allegations from Orbán’s 16-year rule. Magyar has dubbed the effort Operation Purgatory. In September, the NVVH listed the sale of political connections for residence permits among its first four priority cases.

Viktor Orbán reacted on Facebook, calling his brother’s detention political revenge. He described the situation as a dirty game aimed at eliminating a political opponent and establishing a one-party system. Orbán stated that he was the target and that his 49-year-old brother was just a tool in that process.

Two other former officials face separate charges. A former central bank chief, György Matolcsy, and two former ministers from Orbán’s cabinet have been arrested over graft allegations. Orbán’s government has denied the corruption claims.