Hungary detains Orban's former central bank chief Gyorgy Matolcsy over an alleged sham deal signed ONE DAY before his term ended
György Matolcsy, Hungary's central bank governor from 2013 to 2025, whose lawyer says he will be questioned over fraud causing significant losses linked to foundations set up by the bank.Investigators seized about 92 billion forints — roughly $300m — from the bank's foundations in May, as prosecutors carried out coordinated raids at several locations.
Prosecutors allege the securities-lending agreement was meant to shift control of the central bank's PADME foundation assets to a group György Matolcsy would still influence. They say he and his son would then have used the assets for their own investments. His lawyer, Pál Bátki, said he is suspected of economic fraud and using a forged document. Matolcsy has denied wrongdoing.
An international arrest warrant has now been issued for his son, Ádám Matolcsy.
An executive linked to a Mykonos villa tied to the son was also detained.
Revised accounts put the foundations' losses at around HUF 270bn, about $829m.
