The US Department of Justice indicted 43-year-old Benjamin Paul Wiener on Thursday over an alleged $20 million investment fraud scheme involving wire fraud, money laundering, bank fraud and aggravated identity theft charges.
According to the indictment, Wiener persuaded investors to contribute money and digital assets through false statements, then used funds from new investors to repay earlier investors and cover personal expenses. The scheme affected dozens of victims across South Dakota, Minnesota and surrounding regions. If convicted on all 29 counts, Wiener faces up to 30 years in prison.