Hungarian prosecutors have brought charges against Ferenc Pal Biro, the head of an anti-corruption body tasked with combating fraud in the spending of EU funds, for suspicions of embezzlement and other offenses, they said in a statement sent on Tuesday, Reuters reports.
Prosecutors allege that Biro’s alleged illegal actions have caused the Integrity Authority financial damage amounting to over 140 million forints (approx. 350,000 euros).
Anti-corruption agency requested expanded powers
Biro, a former partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers with two decades of experience in forensic accounting and compliance, declined to comment when contacted by phone, Reuters notes.
He had previously denied accusations of embezzlement and abuse of power when they were first formulated in January 2025. A spokesperson for the authority did not immediately respond to questions sent via email to provide a comment.
Launched under pressure from the European Union at the end of 2022, the body is independent of the Hungarian government. It had previously requested greater powers, including in criminal investigations, searches, and sanctions, stating that it lacked the appropriate tools to investigate corruption.
Last month, the European Commission agreed to unblock funds amounting to 16.4 billion euros for Hungary, in exchange for the commitment of Prime Minister Peter Magyar's government to reduce corruption during the administration of former right-wing leader Viktor Orban.
Accusations against Biro
In a case dating back to January 2025, prosecutors claim that Biro misused the institution's assets, causing his office to lease two company cars for him, one of which was illegally used by his wife.
At that time, Biro described the accusations as "baseless," stating that they were aimed at undermining the Integrity Authority.
Prosecutors also accuse Biro of entering into three contracts with a consultancy firm based in Brussels, worth over 100 million forints, which prosecutors say were incompatible with his role's purpose. The contracts aimed, in part, at establishing a diplomatic office and a rental contract in Brussels for the authority, which prosecutors say never had offices there.
Prosecutors claim that in 2024, Biro also hired a family friend at the Authority, who lacked the necessary qualifications and did not pass the national security clearance process, leading to the termination of his employment contract.