In a quiet neighborhood in Budapest, Hungary, lies the office of BAC Consulting, a company linked to the manufacturing of pagers that exploded in Lebanon and Syria during what seems to be an Israeli operation targeting the Hezbollah militant group.
BAC Consulting, situated on the ground floor of a modest building, shares space with other businesses. The company’s name, along with others, was seen on pieces of paper taped to a window on Wednesday by Associated Press journalists.
Listed in a corporate registry, BAC Consulting is reported to have 118 official functions ranging from sugar and oil production to retail jewelry sales and natural gas extraction.
According to reports, BAC supplied the pagers responsible for the deaths of at least 12 individuals, including two children, and injuring approximately 2,800 in an attack blamed on Israel by Hezbollah and the Lebanese government.
Further attacks were reported the next day, with walkie-talkies and solar equipment exploding in various parts of Lebanon, resulting in at least nine fatalities and over 300 injuries, as per the Health Ministry.
The Taiwan-based company, Gold Apollo, whose brand was on the pagers, stated that it had allowed the use of its name on the devices. Gold Apollo clarified that BAC had the authorization to use their brand trademark for sales in specific regions, with the design and production being solely BAC’s responsibility.
A Hungarian government spokesperson mentioned that the pagers never entered Hungary and that BAC Consultants acted solely as an intermediary in the process.
BAC Consulting was established as a limited liability company in May 2022 and received revenues of $725,000 in 2022 and $593,000 in 2023 based on the company registry. The CEO, Cristiana Bársony-Arcidiacono, who is described as a strategic adviser and business developer with a doctorate, could not be reached for comment on the connection, if any, to the attack.
Bársony-Arcidiacono’s LinkedIn profile lists her as a physicist and consultant on projects dealing with environmental and political matters. She has been associated with various organizations, although not all affiliations could be confirmed immediately.
The BAC Consulting website, which was inaccessible on Wednesday, highlighted the company’s areas of expertise as encompassing “environment, development, and international affairs.” The phone calls made to the listed number for BAC went unanswered.
Social media profiles suggest that Bársony-Arcidiacono studied at the London School of Economics and Political Science and the School of Oriental and African Studies. Various scientific papers of hers on water ionization, climate change, and other natural science subjects have been published.
On Instagram, her account showcases “photos and sketches from around the world,” mentioning places like Sicily, Budapest, Paris, and Africa.
