Who is Cristiana Barsony-Arcidiacono and what is her firm's link to Lebanon's exploding pagers?

Cristiana Barsony-Arcidiacono, the 49-year-old CEO of Hungary-based BAC Consulting, is under scrutiny following the manufacturing of exploding pagers that killed 12 people and injured more than 2,000 in Lebanon this week, as reported by TOI.

Barsony-Arcidiacono has denied being directly involved. The pagers were reportedly licensed from a Taiwanese manufacturer, Gold Apollo, which raises questions about her firm's involvement in the incident.

In an interview with NBC News, Barsony-Arcidiacono distanced herself from the tragedy, stating, "I am just the intermediate. I think you got it wrong." Since the incident, she has stayed out of the public eye. Her home in Budapest, where pastel drawings of nudes are displayed on the walls, has been closed.


Barsony-Arcidiacono speaks seven languages and holds a PhD in particle physics. Her career has included various short-term jobs across Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, often connected to humanitarian work. Kilian Kleinschmidt, a former UN administrator, who hired her in 2019 for a Dutch-funded project in Tunisia, described her as a "bullying" manager and ended her contract early, calling it "one of the biggest mistakes of my life."

Her neighbors and acquaintances in Budapest describe her as kind but elusive. Her resume shows inconsistencies, including debunked claims of holding senior positions at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and New York’s Earth Child Institute. The IAEA confirmed she was only an intern, and Earth Child Institute stated that she had no formal role there.

Barsony-Arcidiacono has an impressive academic background but has not pursued a scientific career. Her resume on BAC Consulting's now-taken-down website highlighted her interdisciplinary work, but the firm's actual business activities in Hungary remain unclear.

Authorities continue to investigate the explosion, and Barsony-Arcidiacono’s future is uncertain. She remains out of sight as the investigation unfolds, casting a shadow over her credentials.