The Prime Minister's Office has filed a criminal complaint with the National Investigation Bureau (Nemzeti Nyomozó Iroda) against unknown perpetrators regarding a 300 million forint state grant awarded to Mesterséges Intelligencia Kutató Központ Nonprofit Kft. (MIKK), the government announced on Thursday. The complaint was based on documents received by the ministry led by Ruff Bálint.
According to the government statement, the grant's use and the related procurement procedure raise suspicions of several criminal offenses, including budget fraud, embezzlement and abuse of official duties.
When and how was the grant awarded?
The Mesterséges Intelligencia Kutató Központ was founded in December 2024. Less than two months later, on 12 February 2025, the company received a 300 million forint grant via Bethlen Gábor Alapkezelő Zrt., following a proposal by Szalay-Bobrovniczky Vince, deputy state secretary for social affairs at the Prime Minister's Office. The stated purpose of the funding was to carry out targeted research related to the state and societal integration of artificial intelligence.
Why is the accounting under scrutiny?
Documents held by the Prime Minister's Office indicate that the MIKK had no verified research capacity or track record at the time of the award. The government alleges that part of the 2025 funding and its accounting were not used for the intended purpose and included false content.
The statement asserts that funds intended for in-house research were outsourced to other parties, while the company founders drew salaries charged to the grant. It also says that documents were claimed as research outputs despite not qualifying as research products in substance.
The government further notes that in March 2026 the previous government provided an additional 300 million forint to MIKK, but the company repaid that entire amount on 14 April 2026, two days after the election, stating that several researchers had left and that "without their professional activity the planned project cannot be realized." The government interprets this repayment as an acknowledgment of the lack of research capacity, which casts doubt on the veracity of the claimed independent research work in 2025.
Related media reports and background
The government referenced earlier reporting by Telex which noted that Gulyás Gergely had arranged a 300 million forint support for the MIKK two months before the election — the second payment mentioned by the new administration.
The MIKK previously made headlines by claiming that an aerial footage of the Tisza Párt's 23 October event was fake; following that claim, pro-government media cited the MIKK in spreading the assertion that the image was fabricated.
The government statement emphasizes that the available documents warrant an investigation into how the grant was used and accounted for, which is why they filed a complaint with the National Investigation Bureau.
Next steps
Following the Prime Minister's Office complaint, the Nemzeti Nyomozó Iroda will conduct an investigation; the government statement did not provide a timeline or detailed procedural steps for the inquiry. The ministry's assertions indicate that both the 2025 accounting and the circumstances of the 2026 repayment are central to the ongoing probe.
Our editorial team has not found further independently verifiable details beyond the government's announcement; additional information will become available as the investigation and official proceedings develop.
