In a quiet neighborhood in Budapest, Hungary, sits an ordinary building that holds a dark secret. Behind the walls of this unassuming duplex is the headquarters of BAC Consulting, a company that is now linked to a deadly series of explosions in Lebanon and Syria. These explosions, caused by pagers, have killed at least 12 people, including children, and injured thousands more.
The pagers, which are small electronic devices typically used for sending messages, were part of what appears to be an Israeli operation targeting Hezbollah, the powerful militant group in Lebanon. But how did a Hungarian company end up supplying these dangerous devices?
A Company With Many Faces
BAC Consulting isn’t just any company. On paper, it seems to do everything from producing sugar and oil to selling jewelry and extracting natural gas. But a closer look reveals that it also supplied the pagers that exploded in the Middle East, killing innocent people. On Wednesday, September 18, 2024, journalists saw BAC’s name taped to the window of its Budapest office, along with other companies that share the same space.
While BAC provided these pagers, the company wasn’t responsible for making them. According to a Taiwanese company called Gold Apollo, BAC was authorized to sell products under its brand name. However, Gold Apollo made it clear that BAC was in charge of designing and manufacturing the devices.
Explosions Rock Lebanon
The explosions started on Tuesday, killing 12 and injuring nearly 2,800 people. The Lebanese government and Hezbollah were quick to blame Israel for the attacks. But on Wednesday, things got worse. More devices, including walkie-talkies and solar equipment, exploded in different parts of Lebanon, killing 14 more people and injuring 450 others.
With tensions rising, the world began asking questions about how these devices found their way into Lebanon and Syria—and BAC Consulting found itself at the center of the storm.
The Mysterious CEO
The CEO of BAC Consulting, Cristiana Bársony-Arcidiacono, is an intriguing figure. She’s described as a business developer and strategic adviser with a doctorate degree. Her LinkedIn page lists an impressive career, including roles at major organizations like the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and humanitarian groups. However, when reporters tried to confirm her connections with some of these organizations, they found inconsistencies. The IAEA confirmed she worked as an intern for a short time, but other relationships she claimed couldn’t be verified.
Even more mysterious is the fact that Bársony-Arcidiacono co-authored scientific papers and is involved in projects to solve environmental and political issues. Yet, despite her high-profile career, no one has been able to reach her. Her social media accounts showcase a glamorous life, filled with photos from exotic locations like Sicily, Paris, and Africa.
Questions Without Answers
BAC Consulting was registered in May 2022, and within two years, it had earned hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue. But despite this, the company appears to be little more than a middleman in a much larger operation. A spokesperson for the Hungarian government said that the pagers were never in Hungary and that BAC Consulting was just an intermediary. The spokesperson also insisted that the situation posed no threat to Hungary’s national security.
Yet the details remain unclear. Who manufactured the pagers? How deep is BAC’s involvement? And what is the true role of Cristiana Bársony-Arcidiacono?
As more information comes to light, one thing is certain: a seemingly small Hungarian company has found itself at the heart of a global mystery involving deadly attacks, political intrigue, and unanswered questions.
