Audit log

Every state-changing event for Benjamin Paul Wiener / Benaiah Capital: moderation decisions on community submissions, plus corrections and updates from the news pipeline. URL-based decisions are designed to carry three independent witnesses — the original source, an Internet Archive snapshot, and a Solana memo signed by our publicly-disclosed publisher key. Archive coverage is still being backfilled, so each decision below reports its own snapshot status rather than assuming one exists.

1. #1publishby system:backfill

   2026-08-01 23:23:38Z
   Score: ? → ? (no score change)
   anchorpending

   chain

   ●—

   hash

   BaUfiLFW6ZRF…goJ4vdu4copysha256 → base58

   verifying row…

   canonical bytes (19012 B) ▸

   {"actor":"system:backfill","investigation_id":"b70b37f8-6150-4b96-8dca-4d26d26aa0ca","kind":"publish","page_slug":"benjamin-paul-wiener-benaiah-capital","published_at":"2026-08-01T23:23:38.085Z","sequence_num":1,"snapshot":{"content_type":"investigation","entity_name":"Benjamin Paul Wiener / Benaiah Capital","sections":[{"content":"A federal grand jury in the District of South Dakota returned a 29-count indictment against Benjamin Paul Wiener. The U.S. Department of Justice announced the charges on July 16, 2026. The indictment includes 8 counts of wire fraud, 19 counts of money laundering, 1 count of bank fraud, and 1 count of aggravated identity theft. Wire fraud and money laundering each carry a statutory maximum of 20 years' imprisonment per count and fines of up to $250,000. Bank fraud carries a maximum of 30 years' imprisonment and a fine of up to $1,000,000. The aggravated identity theft count carries a mandatory consecutive minimum sentence of two years. Wiener appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on July 10, 2026, pleaded not guilty, and was released on bond. Trial was set for September 15, 2026. The case was investigated jointly by the IRS Criminal Investigation division and the FBI.","heading":"Federal Indictment and Charges","severity":"critical","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"DOJ Press Release: Sioux Falls Crypto Investor Indicted for Wire Fraud, Money Laundering, Bank Fraud, and Aggravated Identity Theft","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.justice.gov/usao-sd/pr/sioux-falls-crypto-investor-indicted-wire-fraud-money-laundering-bank-fraud-and"},{"credibility":1,"name":"IRS Criminal Investigation: Sioux Falls Crypto Investor Indicted","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/sioux-falls-crypto-investor-indicted-for-wire-fraud-money-laundering-bank-fraud-and-aggravated-identity-theft"}]},{"content":"Prosecutors allege Wiener operated a Ponzi-style scheme beginning at least as early as 2018 through a cluster of eight entities collectively referred to as the 'Benaiah entities.' These were marketed to investors as hedge fund-like opportunities focused on digital assets. According to the indictment, Wiener allegedly solicited funds from investors through false statements and material misrepresentations about the nature, performance, and financial condition of the entities. After receiving investor funds, Wiener allegedly moved the money through various financial institutions and cryptocurrency exchanges to conceal and disguise its location, source, ownership, and control. When investor funds were depleted or when investors requested the return of their capital, Wiener allegedly sought new investors and used incoming funds both to pay previous investors and for personal expenses — the classic hallmark of a Ponzi structure. Prosecutors allege that Wiener misrepresented that the entities were in strong financial health while concealing that they were in distress or not operational. The scheme allegedly affected dozens of victims throughout South Dakota and Minnesota.","heading":"Alleged Scheme: Ponzi Mechanics and Misrepresentations","severity":"critical","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"DOJ Press Release: Sioux Falls Crypto Investor Indicted","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.justice.gov/usao-sd/pr/sioux-falls-crypto-investor-indicted-wire-fraud-money-laundering-bank-fraud-and"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Crypto Briefing: Benjamin Paul Wiener Indicted on 29 Counts Over $20M Crypto Ponzi Scheme","type":"news_article","url":"https://cryptobriefing.com/wiener-indicted-20m-crypto-ponzi-fraud/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"CryptoSlate: Crypto Investor Charged With Using 8 Companies and New Investor Cash to Keep an Alleged $20M Fraud Alive","type":"news_article","url":"https://cryptoslate.com/crypto-investor-charged-with-using-8-companies-and-new-investor-cash-to-keep-an-alleged-20m-fraud-alive/"}]},{"content":"The indictment identifies eight companies allegedly used to perpetrate the fraud and launder proceeds: Benaiah Capital LLC; Benaiah Holdings, Inc.; Benaiah Digital Fixed Income LP; Benaiah Digital LP; Benaiah Management Company, Inc.; Benaiah Enterprises, LLC; Aslan Management, LLC; and Runway Four10. According to reporting by CryptoSlate, the indictment does not specify the individual role each entity played in specific transactions. Publicly available records indicate Benaiah Holdings was originally founded in 2018 as an insurance-focused company. Following disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Wiener allegedly shifted the enterprise toward wealth management with a focus on digital currencies. Christopher Hmielewski, identified in press reports as Chief of Staff across the Benaiah Holdings entities, was named as a co-defendant in a related civil proceeding but has not been named as a defendant in the federal criminal indictment based on available sources.","heading":"Entities Involved","severity":"critical","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"IRS Criminal Investigation: Sioux Falls Crypto Investor Indicted","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/sioux-falls-crypto-investor-indicted-for-wire-fraud-money-laundering-bank-fraud-and-aggravated-identity-theft"},{"credibility":2,"name":"The Dakota Scout: Feds Probing South Dakota Brokers for Cryptocurrency Ponzi Scheme","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.thedakotascout.com/p/fbi-irs-probing-sioux-falls-hedge"},{"credibility":2,"name":"CryptoSlate: Crypto Investor Charged With Using 8 Companies","type":"news_article","url":"https://cryptoslate.com/crypto-investor-charged-with-using-8-companies-and-new-investor-cash-to-keep-an-alleged-20m-fraud-alive/"}]},{"content":"The indictment includes a separate bank fraud count related to events in April 2025. Prosecutors allege that Wiener obtained a $1,000,000 line of credit from a Sioux Falls financial institution by falsifying documents, information, and correspondence submitted to the lender. In connection with this application, he allegedly used another individual's personal identifying information without that person's authorization, forming the basis of the aggravated identity theft count. The identity theft charge carries a mandatory minimum consecutive sentence of two years under 18 U.S.C. 1028A, which would run in addition to any sentence imposed on other counts.","heading":"Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft","severity":"critical","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"DOJ Press Release: Sioux Falls Crypto Investor Indicted","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.justice.gov/usao-sd/pr/sioux-falls-crypto-investor-indicted-wire-fraud-money-laundering-bank-fraud-and"},{"credibility":1,"name":"IRS Criminal Investigation: Sioux Falls Crypto Investor Indicted","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/sioux-falls-crypto-investor-indicted-for-wire-fraud-money-laundering-bank-fraud-and-aggravated-identity-theft"}]},{"content":"According to reporting based on the indictment and related civil proceedings, the Benaiah entities raised approximately $25.1 million from investors since at least 2018. Approximately $12 million was returned to investors, allegedly as fabricated returns consistent with a Ponzi structure. An estimated $5.7 million is alleged to have been diverted to Wiener's personal use. Total alleged investor losses are estimated at approximately $20 million. Victims are described as numbering in the dozens, located primarily in South Dakota and Minnesota. In the civil proceedings predating the criminal indictment, a court-appointed receiver was tasked with investigating the location and disposition of remaining assets.","heading":"Financial Scale and Alleged Losses","severity":"critical","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"Crypto Briefing: Benjamin Paul Wiener Indicted on 29 Counts Over $20M Crypto Ponzi Scheme","type":"news_article","url":"https://cryptobriefing.com/wiener-indicted-20m-crypto-ponzi-fraud/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"The Block: US Jury Indicts South Dakota Crypto Investor on 29 Counts Over Alleged $20M Investor Fraud","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.theblock.co/amp/post/408654/us-jury-indicts-south-dakota-crypto-investor-29-counts-alleged-20m-investor-fraud"},{"credibility":2,"name":"SDPB: Sioux Falls Man Indicted for Alleged $20M Crypto Investment Fraud Scheme","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.sdpb.org/crime-courts/2026-07-16/sioux-falls-man-indicted-for-alleged-20m-crypto-investment-fraud-scheme"}]},{"content":"Prior to the criminal indictment, a civil case captioned Kinnetz v. Benaiah Holdings, Inc. et al. (Case No. 4:2025cv04134, D.S.D.) was filed against the Benaiah entities and their principals. On August 15, 2025, U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler signed an order appointing a receiver and freezing the assets of the Benaiah entities. In issuing the freeze, Judge Theeler wrote that 'plaintiff has presented evidence of a potential fraud' and found that 'there is imminent danger of further dissipation of assets.' The civil proceedings named both Wiener and Christopher Hmielewski as defendants. The receiver appointment predated the federal criminal indictment by approximately ten months and is understood to have informed the parallel criminal investigation.","heading":"Civil Proceedings and Asset Freeze","severity":"high","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"The Dakota Scout: Feds Probing South Dakota Brokers for Cryptocurrency Ponzi Scheme","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.thedakotascout.com/p/fbi-irs-probing-sioux-falls-hedge"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Casemine: Kinnetz v. Benaiah Holdings Inc. et al., 4:2025cv04134 (D.S.D.)","type":"court_filing","url":"https://www.casemine.com/judgement/us/69a1a60afe2e183ac2c6b9b0"},{"credibility":2,"name":"KBHB Radio: Fraud Investigation Into South Dakota-Based Hedge Fund and Its Founder Expands","type":"news_article","url":"https://kbhbradio.com/fraud-investigation-into-south-dakota-based-hedge-fund/"}]},{"content":"Benaiah Holdings, Inc. was founded in 2018 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. According to publicly available corporate materials, Wiener served as CEO of Benaiah Co. and Chairman of the Board of Benaiah Holdings, Inc. The entities publicly presented themselves as technology-forward investment vehicles. Christopher Hmielewski held the title of Chief of Staff and was described as overseeing executive leadership, business development, and client relations across the Benaiah entities. Wiener also held a position on the board of the South Dakota Blockchain Institute, reflecting his profile in local digital asset circles. The entities were marketed as hedge fund-style opportunities with a primary focus on digital assets, though the indictment alleges the investment activities described to clients did not reflect the actual use of investor funds.","heading":"Background and Marketing","severity":"high","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"South Dakota Blockchain Institute Board of Directors","type":"official","url":"https://www.southdakotablockchain.com/board-of-directors"},{"credibility":2,"name":"The Dakota Scout: Feds Probing South Dakota Brokers for Cryptocurrency Ponzi Scheme","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.thedakotascout.com/p/fbi-irs-probing-sioux-falls-hedge"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Crypto Briefing: Benjamin Paul Wiener Indicted on 29 Counts Over $20M Crypto Ponzi Scheme","type":"news_article","url":"https://cryptobriefing.com/wiener-indicted-20m-crypto-ponzi-fraud/"}]},{"content":"Wiener has pleaded not guilty to all 29 counts. All charges described in this investigation remain allegations. Under U.S. law, Wiener is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. Trial was scheduled for September 15, 2026 in the District of South Dakota. No conviction or guilty plea had been recorded as of the time this investigation was compiled (August 2026).","heading":"Presumption of Innocence and Legal Status","severity":"low","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"DOJ Press Release: Sioux Falls Crypto Investor Indicted","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.justice.gov/usao-sd/pr/sioux-falls-crypto-investor-indicted-wire-fraud-money-laundering-bank-fraud-and"}]}],"sources_used":[{"credibility":1,"name":"DOJ Press Release: Sioux Falls Crypto Investor Indicted for Wire Fraud, Money Laundering, Bank Fraud, and Aggravated Identity Theft","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.justice.gov/usao-sd/pr/sioux-falls-crypto-investor-indicted-wire-fraud-money-laundering-bank-fraud-and"},{"credibility":1,"name":"IRS Criminal Investigation: Sioux Falls Crypto Investor Indicted for Wire Fraud, Money Laundering, Bank Fraud, and Aggravated Identity Theft","type":"regulatory","url":"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,"name":"Casemine: Kinnetz v. Benaiah Holdings Inc. et al., 4:2025cv04134 (D.S.D.)","type":"court_filing","url":"https://www.casemine.com/judgement/us/69a1a60afe2e183ac2c6b9b0"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Crypto Briefing: Benjamin Paul Wiener Indicted on 29 Counts Over $20M Crypto Ponzi Scheme","type":"news_article","url":"https://cryptobriefing.com/wiener-indicted-20m-crypto-ponzi-fraud/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"The Block: US Jury Indicts South Dakota Crypto Investor on 29 Counts Over Alleged $20M Investor Fraud","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.theblock.co/amp/post/408654/us-jury-indicts-south-dakota-crypto-investor-29-counts-alleged-20m-investor-fraud"},{"credibility":2,"name":"CryptoSlate: Crypto Investor Charged With Using 8 Companies and New Investor Cash to Keep an Alleged $20M Fraud Alive","type":"news_article","url":"https://cryptoslate.com/crypto-investor-charged-with-using-8-companies-and-new-investor-cash-to-keep-an-alleged-20m-fraud-alive/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"The Dakota Scout: Feds Probing South Dakota Brokers for Cryptocurrency Ponzi Scheme","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.thedakotascout.com/p/fbi-irs-probing-sioux-falls-hedge"},{"credibility":2,"name":"SDPB: Sioux Falls Man Indicted for Alleged $20M Crypto Investment Fraud Scheme","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.sdpb.org/crime-courts/2026-07-16/sioux-falls-man-indicted-for-alleged-20m-crypto-investment-fraud-scheme"},{"credibility":2,"name":"KBHB Radio: Fraud Investigation Into South Dakota-Based Hedge Fund and Its Founder Expands","type":"news_article","url":"https://kbhbradio.com/fraud-investigation-into-south-dakota-based-hedge-fund/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"DRG News: Sioux Falls Crypto Investor Indicted for Wire Fraud, Money Laundering, Bank Fraud, and Aggravated Identity Theft","type":"news_article","url":"https://drgnews.com/2026/07/16/sioux-falls-crypto-investor-indicted-for-wire-fraud-money-laundering-bank-fraud-and-aggravated-identity-theft/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Dakota News Now: Sioux Falls Man Indicted on Fraud, Money Laundering, and Identity Theft Charges","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.dakotanewsnow.com/2026/07/16/sioux-falls-man-indicted-fraud-money-laundering-identity-theft-charges/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"South Dakota Blockchain Institute: Board of Directors","type":"official","url":"https://www.southdakotablockchain.com/board-of-directors"},{"credibility":2,"name":"The Cryptonomist: Crypto Fraud Indictment Unveils $20 Million Scam Details","type":"news_article","url":"https://en.cryptonomist.ch/2026/07/17/crypto-fraud-indictment-scam/"}],"summary":"Benjamin Paul Wiener, 43, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2026 on 29 counts including wire fraud, money laundering, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft for allegedly operating a Ponzi-style scheme through a cluster of eight entities under the 'Benaiah' brand. Prosecutors allege Wiener raised approximately $25.1 million from dozens of investors in South Dakota and Minnesota since at least 2018, returned roughly $12 million as fabricated returns, and diverted an estimated $5.7 million to personal use, producing total alleged investor losses of approximately $20 million. Wiener pleaded not guilty at his July 10, 2026 arraignment and is scheduled for trial on September 15, 2026.","timeline":[{"date":"2018-01-01","event":"Benaiah Holdings, Inc. founded in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Initially structured around insurance, subsequently pivoting to digital asset wealth management. Federal prosecutors allege the fraud scheme began no later than this period.","source":"The Dakota Scout / DOJ Press Release","source_url":"https://www.thedakotascout.com/p/fbi-irs-probing-sioux-falls-hedge"},{"date":"2025-04-01","event":"Wiener allegedly obtained a $1,000,000 line of credit from a Sioux Falls financial institution using falsified documents and the personal identifying information of another individual without authorization.","source":"DOJ Press Release","source_url":"https://www.justice.gov/usao-sd/pr/sioux-falls-crypto-investor-indicted-wire-fraud-money-laundering-bank-fraud-and"},{"date":"2025-08-15","event":"U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler issued an order in civil case Kinnetz v. Benaiah Holdings et al. (4:2025cv04134) appointing a receiver and freezing assets of the Benaiah entities after finding evidence of a 'potential fraud' and imminent danger of further asset dissipation.","source":"The Dakota Scout / Casemine","source_url":"https://www.thedakotascout.com/p/fbi-irs-probing-sioux-falls-hedge"},{"date":"2026-06-01","event":"A federal grand jury in the District of South Dakota returned a 29-count indictment against Benjamin Paul Wiener, including 8 counts of wire fraud, 19 counts of money laundering, 1 count of bank fraud, and 1 count of aggravated identity theft.","source":"DOJ Press Release","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 appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy for arraignment, pleaded not guilty to all 29 counts, and was released on bond.","source":"DOJ Press Release","source_url":"https://www.justice.gov/usao-sd/pr/sioux-falls-crypto-investor-indicted-wire-fraud-money-laundering-bank-fraud-and"},{"date":"2026-07-16","event":"The U.S. Department of Justice and IRS Criminal Investigation publicly announced the indictment. Trial date set for September 15, 2026.","source":"DOJ Press Release","source_url":"https://www.justice.gov/usao-sd/pr/sioux-falls-crypto-investor-indicted-wire-fraud-money-laundering-bank-fraud-and"},{"date":"2026-09-15","event":"Trial scheduled in the District of South Dakota. No outcome had been reported as of the time this investigation was compiled.","source":"DOJ Press Release","source_url":"https://www.justice.gov/usao-sd/pr/sioux-falls-crypto-investor-indicted-wire-fraud-money-laundering-bank-fraud-and"}]},"v":1}

   Verify offline (run on your own machine)

   python -m src.verify_decision be7b433a-5a5c-4638-b6e8-bc2b751b6a37copy