Mayor and husband keep €400,000 in cash at home, media reports

Širvintos mayor Živilė Pinskuvienė and her husband, former Regional Party leader Jonas Pinskus, hold a combined €400,000 in cash at their residence, according to an investigation by news portal Delfi.

Public asset declarations show Pinskuvienė reported over €152,000 in 2024, while Pinskus declared €326,000. The outlet states most of these funds are kept as physical cash: the mayor holds €134,000 in cash and €18,000 in bank accounts, while Pinskus keeps €266,000 in cash and €60,000 in the bank.

Pinskus told Delfi the money was earned before his political career and accumulated during financial crises. “There was a banking crisis, then Covid-19. I’m gradually using these funds for farm construction. These are legitimate, taxed earnings—not from politics or any shady deals,” he said, adding that many politicians and citizens legally hold cash at home.

The report follows a May investigation by the Siena Center for Investigative Journalism, Redakcijos, LRT Investigations, 15min, and Delfi, which found ten politicians, their advisors, and one politician’s spouse collectively held over €2 million in cash. Half were linked to the Nemuno Aušra party, including its leader Remigijus Žemaitaitis and deputy Robertas Puchovičius, who together hold nearly €670,000 in cash.

A deputy head of Lithuania’s Financial Crime Investigation Service previously noted that large cash holdings may indicate certain risks.