{"investigation":{"slug":"benjamin-paul-wiener","entity_name":"Benjamin Paul Wiener","trust_score":26,"severity_base":32,"score_modifier":-5.9,"confidence":0.92,"status":"published","content_type":"investigation","summary":"Benjamin Paul Wiener is a Sioux Falls, South Dakota crypto investor indicted by a federal grand jury in 2026 on 29 counts of wire fraud, money laundering, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft in connection with an alleged $20 million Ponzi-style scheme run through a network of 'Benaiah' entities. A separate 2025 civil lawsuit led a federal judge to appoint a receiver over the entities, and Wiener's pretrial release was later revoked after he was allegedly arrested for contacting witnesses. He has pleaded not guilty and is presumed innocent; the outcome of his case is not confirmed by any source found in this review.","sections":[{"content":"A federal grand jury in the District of South Dakota indicted Benjamin Paul Wiener, 43, of Sioux Falls, on 29 counts covering wire fraud, money laundering, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft, according to a July 16, 2026 announcement by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of South Dakota and IRS Criminal Investigation. Prosecutors allege Wiener made materially false statements to induce investors to give money and digital currency to companies he controlled, operating under names including Benaiah Capital LLC, Benaiah Holdings Inc., Benaiah Digital LP, Benaiah Digital Fixed Income LP, Benaiah Management Company Inc., Benaiah Enterprises LLC, Aslan Management LLC, and Runway Four10. He is alleged to have run a Ponzi-style structure, using new investor funds to repay earlier investors when money ran short or a client sought repayment, and to have moved funds through banks and cryptocurrency exchanges to conceal their source, ownership, and control. The government estimates total losses of approximately $20 million affecting dozens of victims in South Dakota, Minnesota, and the surrounding region. The bank fraud count stems from an allegation that in April 2025 Wiener obtained a $1 million line of credit from a Sioux Falls financial institution by falsifying documents and correspondence and using another person's identifying information without authorization. No source reviewed states an official breakdown of how the 29 counts are allocated among the four charge types; that breakdown, which appeared on an earlier version of this page, could not be verified against any available source and has been omitted. Wiener appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on July 10, 2026, and pleaded not guilty. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison on each wire fraud and money laundering count, up to 30 years and a $1 million fine for bank fraud, and a mandatory consecutive two-year term for aggravated identity theft. The investigation was conducted by IRS Criminal Investigation and the FBI; the case was announced by U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri. These are allegations from an indictment, and Wiener is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.","heading":"Federal Indictment: Wire Fraud, Money Laundering, Bank Fraud, and Aggravated Identity Theft","sources":[{"url":"https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/sioux-falls-crypto-investor-indicted-for-wire-fraud-money-laundering-bank-fraud-and-aggravated-identity-theft","name":"IRS-CI: Sioux Falls crypto investor indicted for wire fraud, money laundering, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft","type":"regulatory","credibility":1},{"url":"https://www.justice.gov/usao-sd/pr/sioux-falls-crypto-investor-indicted-wire-fraud-money-laundering-bank-fraud-and","name":"U.S. Attorney's Office, District of South Dakota press release","type":"regulatory","credibility":1},{"url":"https://www.theblock.co/post/408654/us-jury-indicts-south-dakota-crypto-investor-29-counts-alleged-20m-investor-fraud","name":"The Block: US jury indicts South Dakota crypto investor on 29 counts over alleged $20 million investor fraud","type":"news_article","credibility":2},{"url":"https://www.dakotanewsnow.com/2026/07/16/sioux-falls-man-indicted-fraud-money-laundering-identity-theft-charges/","name":"Dakota News Now: Sioux Falls man indicted on fraud, money laundering, and identity theft charges","type":"news_article","credibility":2}],"severity":"critical"},{"content":"According to reporting on the indictment, the Benaiah entities raised approximately $25.1 million from investors, mainly in South Dakota and Minnesota, since at least 2018, and returned roughly $12 million to investors. Sources disagree on how much of the remainder was allegedly diverted to Wiener personally: Crypto Briefing reported that prosecutors allege about $5.7 million went directly to Wiener's personal expenses, while Value The Markets reported a figure of approximately $13 million diverted to Wiener. Neither figure could be confirmed against a primary court document in this review, and the discrepancy between the two reported figures is unresolved; both should be treated as unverified pending the indictment text or trial testimony. The bank fraud count separately alleges that in April 2025 Wiener obtained a $1 million line of credit by falsifying documents and using another person's identity without authorization. All figures are allegations from an ongoing criminal case.","heading":"Alleged Scheme Mechanics and Disputed Financial Figures","sources":[{"url":"https://cryptobriefing.com/south-dakota-crypto-investor-20m-fraud-indictment/","name":"Crypto Briefing: US indicts South Dakota crypto investor over $20M fraud scheme","type":"news_article","credibility":2},{"url":"https://www.valuethemarkets.com/cryptocurrency/news/sioux-falls-man-charged-with-running-cryptocurrency-ponzi-scheme","name":"Value The Markets: Sioux Falls man charged with running cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme","type":"news_article","credibility":2}],"severity":"high"},{"content":"Before the criminal indictment, Timothy A. Kinnetz, as trustee of the Timothy A. Kinnetz Revocable Trust, filed a civil suit against Benaiah Holdings Inc., Benaiah Capital LLC, Benaiah Digital LP, Benaiah Digital Fixed Income LP, Wiener individually, and two other individuals (Joshua DeWitt and Christopher Charles Hmielewski), alleging financial fraud, conversion, and fraudulent conveyances and seeking appointment of a receiver. On August 15, 2025, U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler, in case No. 4:25-cv-04134-CCT (District of South Dakota, Southern Division), granted the trust's expedited motion and appointed a receiver over the Benaiah entities and Wiener individually. The Dakota Scout reported in November 2025 that the related fraud probe had expanded to cover more than a dozen companies tied to Wiener and Benaiah Holdings; the full text of that report is paywalled, so its additional detail could not be independently verified beyond the headline and subheadline. These civil allegations are separate from, but preceded and overlap with, the subsequent federal criminal indictment.","heading":"Civil Receivership Lawsuit (Kinnetz v. Benaiah Holdings)","sources":[{"url":"https://www.leagle.com/decision/infdco20250821a50","name":"Leagle.com: Order Granting Timothy A. Kinnetz Revocable Trust's Motion to Appoint a Receiver (Case No. 4:25-cv-04134-CCT)","type":"court_filing","credibility":1},{"url":"https://www.thedakotascout.com/p/fraud-investigation-into-sioux-falls","name":"The Dakota Scout: Fraud investigation into Sioux Falls [hedge fund] expands","type":"news_article","credibility":2}],"severity":"high"},{"content":"The Dakota Scout reported on July 29, 2026 that a federal judge had revoked Wiener's pretrial release. Per the report, Wiener had been freed on bond on July 14, 2026 by U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica Duffy following his indictment, but was arrested on July 27, 2026 for allegedly violating the conditions of that release, reportedly after contacting witnesses and admitting to defying the judge's orders. The full article is paywalled beyond its headline and opening details, so the specific conditions violated and any judicial findings could not be independently confirmed. This is an alleged violation of pretrial conditions and has not been established through a source with full article access in this review.","heading":"Pretrial Release Revoked Amid Alleged Witness Contact","sources":[{"url":"https://www.thedakotascout.com/p/judge-revokes-bond-of-alleged-cryptocurrency","name":"The Dakota Scout: Judge revokes bond of alleged cryptocurrency [fraudster]","type":"news_article","credibility":2}],"severity":"high"},{"content":"Multiple sources reported, as of mid-2026, that Wiener's trial was scheduled for September 15, 2026. As of this review (October 29, 2026), no source could be located confirming whether that trial took place, was postponed, resulted in a plea agreement, or otherwise concluded. The case should be treated as pending unless and until later reporting or a court docket confirms its disposition. No primary court records, such as the indictment itself or a case docket, were located during this review beyond the civil receivership order; readers seeking case specifics should consult the District of South Dakota federal court docket directly.","heading":"Case Status","sources":[{"url":"https://www.valuethemarkets.com/cryptocurrency/news/federal-indictment-over-20-million-ponzi-scheme-benjamin-paul-wiener-charged","name":"Value The Markets: Federal Indictment Over $20 Million Ponzi Scheme: Benjamin Paul Wiener Charged","type":"news_article","credibility":2},{"url":"https://www.theblock.co/post/408654/us-jury-indicts-south-dakota-crypto-investor-29-counts-alleged-20m-investor-fraud","name":"The Block: US jury indicts South Dakota crypto investor on 29 counts over alleged $20 million investor fraud","type":"news_article","credibility":2}],"severity":"medium"}],"timeline":[{"date":"2018","event":"Benaiah entities allegedly begin raising investor funds, per later reporting on the fraud case.","source":"Value The Markets","source_url":"https://www.valuethemarkets.com/cryptocurrency/news/sioux-falls-man-charged-with-running-cryptocurrency-ponzi-scheme"},{"date":"2025-04","event":"Wiener allegedly obtains a $1 million line of credit from a Sioux Falls financial institution using falsified documents and another person's identifying information, forming the basis of the bank fraud count.","source":"IRS-CI press release","source_url":"https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/sioux-falls-crypto-investor-indicted-for-wire-fraud-money-laundering-bank-fraud-and-aggravated-identity-theft"},{"date":"2025-08-15","event":"U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler grants a motion to appoint a receiver over the Benaiah entities and Wiener individually in a civil suit brought by the Timothy A. Kinnetz Revocable Trust.","source":"Leagle.com court order","source_url":"https://www.leagle.com/decision/infdco20250821a50","date_evidence":"August 15, 2025. ORDER GRANTING TIMOTHY A. KINNETZ REVOCABLE TRUST'S MOTION TO APPOINT A RECEIVER"},{"date":"2025-11","event":"The Dakota Scout reports that the fraud probe into Wiener and Benaiah Holdings has expanded to cover more than a dozen related companies.","source":"The Dakota Scout","source_url":"https://www.thedakotascout.com/p/fraud-investigation-into-sioux-falls","date_original":"2025-11-15"},{"date":"2026-06","event":"A federal grand jury returns a 29-count indictment against Wiener.","source":"U.S. Attorney's Office, District of South Dakota","source_url":"https://www.justice.gov/usao-sd/pr/sioux-falls-crypto-investor-indicted-wire-fraud-money-laundering-bank-fraud-and"},{"date":"2026-07-10","event":"Wiener appears before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy and pleads not guilty to the indictment.","source":"IRS-CI press release","source_url":"https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/sioux-falls-crypto-investor-indicted-for-wire-fraud-money-laundering-bank-fraud-and-aggravated-identity-theft","date_evidence":"He pleaded not guilty on July 10, 2026, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy."},{"date":"2026-07","event":"Wiener is released on bond pending trial.","source":"The Dakota Scout","source_url":"https://www.thedakotascout.com/p/judge-revokes-bond-of-alleged-cryptocurrency","date_evidence":"He had been freed July 14 by Federal Magistrate Judge Veronica Duffy after a grand jury indicted him in June.","date_original":"2026-07-14"},{"date":"2026-07","event":"The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of South Dakota and IRS-CI publicly announce the indictment.","source":"U.S. Attorney's Office, District of South Dakota","source_url":"https://www.justice.gov/usao-sd/pr/sioux-falls-crypto-investor-indicted-wire-fraud-money-laundering-bank-fraud-and","date_original":"2026-07-16"},{"date":"2026-07","event":"Wiener is arrested for allegedly violating the conditions of his pretrial release, including alleged contact with witnesses.","source":"The Dakota Scout","source_url":"https://www.thedakotascout.com/p/judge-revokes-bond-of-alleged-cryptocurrency","date_evidence":"arrested July 27 for violating the conditions of his pretrial release","date_original":"2026-07-27"},{"date":"2026-07","event":"A federal judge revokes Wiener's pretrial release, per a Dakota Scout report published that day.","source":"The Dakota Scout","source_url":"https://www.thedakotascout.com/p/judge-revokes-bond-of-alleged-cryptocurrency","date_original":"2026-07-29"},{"date":"2026-09","event":"Trial date reported as scheduled; no source located confirms whether the trial occurred, was postponed, or concluded.","source":"The Block / Value The Markets","source_url":"https://www.theblock.co/post/408654/us-jury-indicts-south-dakota-crypto-investor-29-counts-alleged-20m-investor-fraud","date_original":"2026-09-15"}],"sources_used":[{"url":"https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/sioux-falls-crypto-investor-indicted-for-wire-fraud-money-laundering-bank-fraud-and-aggravated-identity-theft","name":"IRS-CI: Sioux Falls crypto investor indicted for wire fraud, money laundering, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft","type":"regulatory","archive_url":"http://web.archive.org/web/20261016202655/https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/sioux-falls-crypto-investor-indicted-for-wire-fraud-money-laundering-bank-fraud-and-aggravated-identity-theft","credibility":1,"archive_timestamp":"2026-10-16T20:26:55+00:00"},{"url":"https://www.justice.gov/usao-sd/pr/sioux-falls-crypto-investor-indicted-wire-fraud-money-laundering-bank-fraud-and","name":"U.S. Attorney's Office, District of South Dakota press release","type":"regulatory","archive_url":"http://web.archive.org/web/20261013110337/https://www.justice.gov/usao-sd/pr/sioux-falls-crypto-investor-indicted-wire-fraud-money-laundering-bank-fraud-and","credibility":1,"archive_timestamp":"2026-10-13T11:03:37+00:00"},{"url":"https://www.leagle.com/decision/infdco20250821a50","name":"Leagle.com: Order Granting Timothy A. 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