Swindled Bonus: The Foundation (New Era Philanthropy)
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Oct 12, 2025 A Christian businessman orchestrated a massive charity Ponzi scheme, promising to double donations through mysterious benefactors. As trust grew, so did the fraud, leading to rising donation minimums and delayed payouts. Investigative efforts unveiled the scheme, revealing the non-existence of promised donors and huge financial discrepancies. The case exploded in the media, resulting in significant legal fallout and personal consequences for the orchestrator. The fallout impacted numerous charities, highlighting the dark side of misplaced trust in philanthropic endeavors.
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Trust Trumps Due Diligence
- Reputation can replace scrutiny and enable large-scale deception quickly.
- John Bennett used personal trust to bypass normal due diligence and scale New Era Philanthropy.
Small Matches Spark Big Momentum
- New Era initially doubled small $5,000 donations and paid charities $10,000 three months later.
- Early successes created momentum that drew more donors and legitimized the scheme.
How Ponzi Pressure Distorts Terms
- Ponzi mechanics force rising entry amounts and longer payout delays to survive.
- Bennett raised minimums and extended payout windows to cover growing obligations.