Hungary Files Criminal Complaint Over $965 Million Ventilator Deal
Hungary's foreign ministry has filed a criminal complaint over alleged fraud in a $965 million deal for COVID-19 ventilators purchased from China by the previous government. The ministry's investigation suggests potential breach of duty and substantial financial loss, with suspicions…
Fort Myers Naples, FL, August 25, 2026 —
Hungary’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has initiated a criminal complaint concerning alleged fraud related to a $965 million deal for COVID-19 ventilators. The ventilators were acquired from China under the previous government.
The ministry’s investigation indicates a potential breach of duty and substantial financial losses stemming from the transaction. Authorities also suspect attempts were made to delete documents relevant to the deal.
The agreement involved the purchase of approximately 17,000 ventilators. This procurement had previously faced criticism for being overpriced and for acquiring a quantity of equipment that exceeded the country’s deployment capacity.
Further details from the investigation suggest that a portion of the acquired ventilators were found to be defective. These units reportedly remained unused and incurred significant storage costs.
The specific names of individuals or entities involved in the original deal, the exact timeline of the alleged fraud, or the status of the criminal complaint beyond its filing were not immediately available.
Story summarized from the original created by AP on apnews.com, see more information here.
Media gallery
