All posts by Pethő András

Prime minister’s son-in-law sold his property business to an offshore company

Pethő András, Vorák Anita 2017.01.04.

István Tiborcz’s former company owns a high value property in an industrial park that is promoted by the government to investors.

Investigations sparked by Panama Papers shut down quickly in Hungary

Pethő András 2016.12.01.

The Panama Papers project had huge impact around the world but the Hungarian authorities appear to have done little so far to look into the local findings.

Police Investigate Public Contract Won Through False Claims

Pethő András 2016.11.24.

The municipality hired again the company, which won a previous tender through false claims.

Inside the killing of Népszabadság, Hungary’s biggest opposition paper

Fabók Bálint, Pethő András, Szabó András 2016.11.17.

How the news industry’s crisis, the power games of influential businessmen, and the politically motivated redrawing of Hungary’s media landscape led to the death of the emblematic newspaper.

Company Wins Major Public Contract Through False Claims

Pethő András, Jimena Abad 2016.10.10. 1 Comment

The company needed to show that they had done similar construction in the past so they brought a reference from Uruguay. But it was a lie.

Hungarian businessman close to the government and former EU commissioner appear in new batch of leaked offshore files

Pethő András 2016.09.22.

The leaked files contain data on more than 175 thousand companies registered in The Bahamas. The records exposed the hidden offshore connection of a former EU commissioner, Neelie Kroes, and the offshore interest of a well-connected Hungarian businessman.

While Hungary’s PM Attacks Brussels, His Brother’s Company Gets Money From The EU

Pethő András 2016.09.06.

A company co-owned by Győző Orbán Jr., the brother of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, received two EU grants this year.

Former notary and entrepreneur acquitted in corruption case

Pethő András 2016.06.02.

The court cited the lack of evidence as the reason for its ruling.

Tapped phone calls reveal new details of the corruption case in Central Budapest

Pethő András 2016.05.31. 2 Comments

The phone calls played in court show the extraordinarily close relationship between two defendants of the corruption trial, a former notary and a businessman.

Name of London luxury hotel where Lázár stayed has been revealed

Pethő András 2016.05.19. 1 Comment

After a lawsuit that lasted for more than two years, the government disclosed where János Lázár, head of the Prime Minister’s Office, stayed during his trip to London in 2012. It was a 5-star luxury hotel.

Database revealing thousands of secret offshore companies published

Pethő András 2016.05.09. 2 Comments

Details of more than 200 thousand offshore companies are made public. The information is coming from the leaked documents known as the Panama Papers.

Offshore secrets of Hungarian billionaires revealed

Pethő András 2016.05.09.

How members of the Hungarian business elite, including Sándor Csányi, the wealthiest person in the country, use offshore companies? The Panama Papers reveal new details.

Panama Papers: Hungarian billionaires’s offshore secrets revealed

Pethő András 2016.05.04.

A leggazdagabb magyarok közül is szerepelnek többen a kiszivárgott offshore-dokumentumokban. Köztük van Matolcsy György unokatestvére, Szemerey Tamás is.

How the Hungarian part of the Panama Papers project started

Pethő András 2016.04.08. 2 Comments

Our Panama Papers reporter on how he got involved in the world’s biggest international investigative reporting project.

Panama papers show a hidden business link between a former Hungarian state bank chief and an Austrian media investor

Pethő András 2016.04.07.

Erős János korábbi MFB-vezér egy befolyásos osztrák üzletemberrel, Heinrich Pecinával üzletelt egy panamai cégen keresztül. Régóta ismerik egymást, vadászni is szoktak együtt.

Panama Papers: Hungarian socialist politician left the party as his offshore interest emerged

Pethő András 2016.04.05.

Laszlo Boldvai made this decision after Direkt36 exposed, as part of the Panama Papers project, that his wife had an offshore company with a Swiss bank account.

She’s a teacher with a Swiss bank account. And she’s also a politician’s wife

Pethő András 2016.04.05.

Socialist politician László Boldvai’s wife is a high school teacher but drives a BMW and had an offshore company with a Swiss bank account. A new story from the Panama Papers.

Massive offshore leaks reveal former government politician’s hidden business

Pethő András 2016.04.04.

Millions of leaked offshore documents reveal the hidden businesses and assets of world leaders and politicians, including a former MP of Hungary’s governing party. He got involved in a secret offshore company while he was still in parliament.

Notary and businessman became extremely close, corruption trial reveals

Pethő András 2016.03.11.

The trial of the alleged District 5 corruption cases has started with the testimonies of the defendants. What emerged is a story of how a businessman with a wide network of contacts built an extremely close relationship with one of the most senior public officials of the district.

How Brussels took on the son-in-law of Hungary’s Prime Minister

Pethő András, Vorák Anita 2015.11.18.

Two EU investigations are being conducted into the state contracts that were given to Elios Innovatív under suspicious circumstances. If the wrongdoing is proven, Hungary could face financial penalties.