Hungarian Firm CEO Under Protection Amid Middle East Pager Explosion Probe
The CEO of a Hungarian company linked to exploding pagers in Lebanon and Syria is under secret service protection. The attacks, blamed on Israel, killed 37 and injured over 3,000.
In a recent development, Cristiana Bársony-Arcidiacono, the CEO of Budapest-based BAC Consulting, has been placed under the protection of Hungarian secret services following her company's alleged connection to explosive pagers in Lebanon and Syria. This information was disclosed by her mother, Beatrix Bársony-Arcidiacono, in an interview with The Associated Press on 2024-09-20.
The incident in question occurred on 2024-09-17, when a series of explosions targeting Hezbollah, a Shia Islamist political party and militant group based in Lebanon, claimed at least 37 lives and left more than 3,000 individuals injured. The attacks, involving both pagers and walkie-talkies, have been attributed to Israel by Lebanese authorities, although Israel has neither confirmed nor denied its involvement.
BAC Consulting's role in this incident has come under scrutiny after Gold Apollo, a Taiwanese firm, stated that it had authorized the Hungarian company to use its name on the pagers involved in the first attack. However, the Hungarian government has clarified that BAC Consulting merely acted as an intermediary, and the pagers were never physically present in Hungary.
Cristiana Bársony-Arcidiacono's background includes studies at the University of Catania, one of Italy's oldest educational institutions, and a Ph.D. from University College London, a prestigious public research university founded in 1826. Her professional experience spans work with major international organizations such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and CARE, a prominent humanitarian agency.
BAC Consulting, incorporated in May 2022, reported revenues of $725,000 in 2022 and $593,000 in 2023. The company's official functions encompass a wide range of activities, from sugar production to natural gas extraction. However, its website, which previously described the firm as specializing in "environment, development, and international affairs," has been unavailable since 2024-09-18.
As investigations continue, the incident highlights the complex geopolitical landscape of the Middle East and the potential far-reaching consequences of international business dealings. The situation also underscores the critical role of telecommunications devices like pagers and walkie-talkies in modern conflict scenarios.
"She is not involved in any way, she was just a broker. The items did not pass through Budapest. ... They were not produced in Hungary."
While the full extent of BAC Consulting's involvement remains unclear, this incident serves as a reminder of the intricate web of global supply chains and the potential for seemingly innocuous business transactions to have significant international repercussions.
