Story By Marija Stojkoska
News Editor Ajda Ender
A wealthy British entrepreneur who travelled to Hungary to meet investors interested in UK property has gone missing after leaving a nightclub in the capital Budapest.
Picture shows British citizen John Robert Joseph Tovell, 45, who went missing in Budapest, Hungary, undated. He left a nightclub in District VII for an unknown location on June 16, 2026 at around 2 a.m. and has been in an unknown location since then. Note: Police photo. (Police Hungary/Newsflash/NX)
John Robert Joseph Tovell, 45, was last seen at around 2am on 16th June after leaving a nightlife venue in the city’s VII District, also known as Erzsebetvaros, one of Budapest’s busiest entertainment areas.
Police said the British national left the venue for an unknown destination and has not been seen since.
Officers from Budapest’s Metropolitan Police launched a missing persons investigation and said they were continuing to search for him.
John is described as being around 190 centimetres tall with short greying hair and a beard.
At the time of his disappearance, he was wearing black trousers, a black T-shirt and a dark green long-sleeved shirt.
Hungarian police released a photograph of the missing businessman and appealed to the public for information about his whereabouts.
Authorities urged anyone who may have seen him or knows where he is to come forward.
Reports in Hungary said John had arrived in Budapest five days before he vanished.
Local media also stated that his mobile phone had been switched off since his disappearance and that there had been no activity on his bank cards.
John is the founder of Cardinal Rock, a London-based property investment company that helps clients build and expand property portfolios across the UK.
The entrepreneur is described in local reports as a frequent traveller who regularly visits destinations around the world and attends concerts.
Investigators were expected to examine CCTV footage from the VII and VIII districts of Budapest as they attempted to trace his movements after he left the nightclub.
Before his disappearance, Cardinal Rock published updates stating that John had travelled to Hungary on business and was due to meet international investors, partners and property professionals in Budapest interested in UK property investment opportunities.
Police have not disclosed any suspected circumstances surrounding the disappearance.
The Budapest Metropolitan Police Headquarters asked anyone with information about John’s whereabouts to contact authorities.
The search for the missing businessman was continuing at the time of reporting.
The official missing persons case is being handled specifically by the VIII District Police Department.
(Marija Stojkoska/Newsflash)
