Eleonóra Sz. Sz., the former HR director at Budapest transport company BKV, has been placed under preliminary arrest for one month for “fraud of exceptionally large scale and other crimes,” reports index.hu.
Sz. had received nearly Ft 100 million in severance pay when she left the company.
Police took Sz. into custody on January 6. Authorities seized Ft 54 million in her bank accounts as well as a computer and documents found at her home during a search.
The All Hungary Media Group is firmly committed to freedom of expression and therefore applies a mostly "hands off" approach to comment moderation. Comments left by readers represent their own views and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or beliefs of the staff, editors or owner of the All Hungary Media Group, who nonetheless reserve the right to remove comments that are off-topic or which moderators consider to constitute "hate speech." Also note that in order to prevent spam we generally close entries off to comments several days after publication.
How is it that this person perpetrated this? Surely there were others that signed off and derived some benefit; who are they and what did they gain?
Of note is that a) she didn’t think to “hide” the 54M in her bank accounts and that b) when she cleared her deal (100 M handshake to leave) she also intended to keep working as a consultant for 2M per month. Does anybody else think this suggests that she thought she’d be protected? And if so, by who?
Last one that’s been bothering me. The payout size is usually scaled from precedents, both in terms of amount and the fact that it gets done. Given that she felt “safe” taking the dosh, this practice of huge payouts must go back – at least several incidents from an initial point where somebody “tried” it out – but for a small amount; and then was followed by somebody who thought they could do more. Anybody think this logic is flawed?
No Rolrox, not necessarily flawed logic. The flaw in your argument may be that you used logic at all!
This is just tantamount to being caught with her hand in the cookie jar. She probably didn’t even think she would be caught because she probably didn’t even think, and cared even less. That behaviour is unfortunately common here.
Since she is probably one of many brainless, arrogant idiots in a position of authority, you can almost guarantee that this is only the tip of the iceburg.
Where’s Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio when you need them?
I’ve faithfully bought a monthly ticket for eighteen
years without fail. This is MY transport system
these sleazebags are stealing from. I want to see
HEADS ROLL!
If we needed any further confirmation that Hungary is riddled with corruption in just about every area of public and private life – this little lot will just serve to reaffirm that we are not dreaming but in fact are, in a painfully, depressing scenario, that beggars belief.
Bitch! Bitch! Bitch! I don’t want to complain
endlessly about how corrupt and hopeless everything
is. I WANT HEADS TO ROLL!!!
@Palánta: Well put! Your comment about buying a berlet regularly for 18 years really hits the nail on the head. You (and some others) are holding up your end of the deal. The people (mis)managing the BKV aren’t. And now there NEEDS to be consequences, and not just cosmetic ones. Meanwhile, I think it’s interesting that they actually found this much money in her account, which seems to correspond to what she’d have if she actually paid her income taxes… I just always assumed that a big chunk of these overpayments are then payed out to other crooks. Though I suppose she’s at the top of the pyramid, so there’s no one she has to pay off…
“Heads to to roll”? You will need a correct and proper justice system for that. We don’t have one.
Ügyvéd are not averse to the “greasing of the palm”, either. So where do we begin in the sphere of accountability. Private prosecutions?
Investigative journalism is one thing…bringing a successful lawsuit is quite a different matter altogether. Even if the corrupt bastards are put in jail ..the money has often “flown” and now resides in an offshore bank account just waiting to be collected when the criminals are released.
Gyurcsany Ferenc should have been “impeached” and a full investigation started into to the widespread corruption that has all but seen off Hungary’s chances of succeeding in the near future.
You have a good point quo vadis.
I have never seen anything like this where people just feel they can help themselves to whatever they feel like once they get into positions of authority. It is incredible arrogance and disrespect for the nation and it’s assets. It is also pervasive at all levels of society.
Having said that, just because I haven’t seen anything like this before doesn’t mean it is not happening, it clearly is.