Cristiana Bársony-Arcidiacono, the CEO of BAC Consulting based in Budapest, Hungary, came under scrutiny after her company’s name was linked to the pagers that were detonated in fatal attacks in Lebanon and Syria. The Taiwanese trademark holder of the pagers claimed that BAC Consulting was responsible for the manufacture of the devices used in the attacks. Following these incidents, Cristiana Bársony-Arcidiacono has not appeared publicly, with her mother, Beatrix Bársony-Arcidiacono, stating that she is currently under the protection of the Hungarian secret services due to unspecified threats she has received.
The attacks in Lebanon and Syria that targeted Hezbollah resulted in the deaths of at least 37 people and wounded more than 3,000 individuals, including civilians. These attacks have been widely blamed on Israel, although the country has neither confirmed nor denied involvement. The Hungarian government clarified that the pagers delivered to Hezbollah were never in Hungary, and BAC Consulting only acted as an intermediary for the Taiwanese firm, Gold Apollo. Beatrix Bársony-Arcidiacono reiterated that her daughter was not involved in the manufacturing or design of the devices and was simply a broker, with the items not passing through Budapest nor being produced in Hungary.
BAC Consulting, despite having no physical offices at its Budapest address, specialized in various sectors such as environment, development, and international affairs, as per its website and corporate registry. The company generated revenue of around €650,000 in 2022 and approximately €593,000 in 2023, with a significant portion spent on equipment. Cristiana Bársony-Arcidiacono has had a cross-European career, having studied in Sicily, London, Paris, and Vienna before establishing her company in Budapest in May 2022. She describes herself as a strategic adviser and business developer with experience working for international organizations and venture capital firms.
Born in Sicily, Cristiana Bársony-Arcidiacono studied at the University of Catania, pursued a PhD in London, and worked for various organizations before moving to Budapest to care for her grandmother. She held positions at the International Atomic Energy Agency, the CARE humanitarian agency, and venture capital firms, showcasing a diverse career background. While studying at University College London, she collaborated with Hungarian physicist Ákos Kövér and published joint articles, although her scientific work has ceased since then. Questions have arisen surrounding the involvement of BAC Consulting in the production of the pagers used in the attacks in Lebanon and Syria, with investigations ongoing to determine the extent of the company’s role in these tragic events.
In the wake of the deadly attacks in Lebanon and Syria, questions have been raised regarding the role of BAC Consulting in manufacturing the pagers used in these incidents. Despite the Taiwanese firm’s authorization for BAC Consulting to use its name on the devices, the Hungarian government clarified that the pagers were not produced in Hungary and never passed through Budapest. With Cristiana Bársony-Arcidiacono currently under the protection of the Hungarian secret services due to threats she has received, investigations are underway to determine the extent of her involvement in the events. As the situation unfolds, more information is expected to shed light on the circumstances surrounding the tragic attacks in Lebanon and Syria.
