Attorney General Hilgers Sues Web of Dark Money Groups Funded by Foreign Billionaire

Posted

Wednesday, November 5, 2025

LINCOLN—Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers sued Swiss national Hansjörg Wyss and six Wyss-backed entities for illegally contributing foreign funds to six Nebraska ballot question committees. Nebraska law makes it “unlawful for a foreign national, directly or indirectly, to make a contribution to a ballot question committee.” Neb. Rev. Stat. § 49-1479.03(2). Since the Legislature enacted the ban in 2022, Wyss-funded entities have contributed at least $10 million to Nebraska groups that campaign for ballot initiatives. The Nebraska groups that received Wyss-linked funds are Raise the Wage Nebraska, Nebraskans for Paid Sick Leave, Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana, Protect Our Rights (pro-abortion ballot initiative), Support Our Schools (school choice referendum), and Lincoln for Fair Housing (anti–housing discrimination initiative).

“Nebraskans are under an unprecedented assault of foreign money, flowing unlawfully into our state’s elections, which seeks to radically remake Nebraska’s laws and constitution. This billionaire and his dark-money allies have flaunted the law in Nebraska, and we filed suit to put a stop to these groups who seek to violate Nebraska law while pushing their radical agenda on the People,” stated Attorney General Mike Hilgers. 

Atop the scheme is Swiss billionaire Hansjörg Wyss. Wyss contributed large sums to two nonprofits, the Wyss Foundation and the Berger Action Fund. Those nonprofits, in turn, contributed to two other nonprofits, the New Venture Fund and the Sixteen Thirty Fund. Those nonprofits then contributed to several other nonprofits, including three Nebraska entities: Nebraska Appleseed, Civic Nebraska, and Nebraska Abortion and Reproductive Justice Fund Inc. Besides the Wyss Foundation and Berger Action Fund, all the other nonprofits in the web also contributed directly to Nebraska ballot question committees. 

The lawsuit alleges that the donations from the nonprofits are an unlawful “indirect” contribution from a foreign national to Nebraska ballot question committees. Attorney General Hilgers is asking the court for an injunction to stop Wyss from illegally contributing foreign funds to Nebraska ballot question committees in the future. The lawsuit was filed in Madison County, Nebraska.