{"entity":{"id":1018,"slug":"hansjorg-wyss","name":"Hansjörg Wyss","type":"person","role":"Swiss billionaire; major dark money donor to progressive causes","description":"Swiss-born billionaire and former CEO of medical device company Synthes. Despite not being a US citizen (and thus legally barred from federal political donations), Wyss has directed hundreds of millions through nonprofit entities to progressive causes. The Wyss Foundation and the Berger Action Fund have been identified as major funders in the Arabella Advisors dark money network. Net worth ~$7B.","imageUrl":null,"createdAt":"2026-04-11T04:00:10.199Z","updatedAt":"2026-05-19T09:21:49.042Z"},"electedOffice":null,"significance":{"score":3.4,"components":{"totalFindings":0,"connectionDegree":2.4,"recentFindings90d":0,"activeResearchJobs":0,"goblinAttributions":1,"recentSyntheses90d":0,"moneyFlowChainsTotal":0,"closedLoopMemberships":0,"moneyFlowHopsRecent90d":0},"computedAt":"2026-10-16T01:34:31.424Z"},"facts":[{"id":15061,"text":"As of 2025, Forbes estimated Wyss's net worth at US$4.8 billion, while Bloomberg estimated $12.7 billion","confidence":"primary","dateOccurred":"2025-01-01","source":{"title":"Wikipedia citing Forbes and Bloomberg","url":"https://www.amazon.com/Arabella-Network-Billionaires-Secretly-Transforming/dp/1641774487","publication":"Directed Inquiry — Web Search"}},{"id":15067,"text":"The Federal Election Commission found in 2022 that Wyss made $119,000 in unlawful political contributions from 1990 to 2006","confidence":"primary","dateOccurred":"2022-01-01","source":{"title":"Washington Examiner reporting","url":"https://www.foxnews.com/politics/swiss-billionaire-hansjorg-wyss-recently-poured-over-60m-propping-up-left-wing-groups-causes","publication":"Directed Inquiry — Web Search"}},{"id":15060,"text":"Hansjörg Wyss is a Swiss billionaire who acknowledged in 2021 he is a foreign national","confidence":"primary","dateOccurred":"2021-01-01","source":{"title":"Washington Free Beacon reporting","url":"https://www.foxnews.com/politics/left-wing-dark-money-network-hauled-more-than-1-3b-anonymous-donations-liberal-causes-2023","publication":"Directed Inquiry — Web Search"}},{"id":15066,"text":"Swiss billionaire Hansjörg Wyss has donated $245 million to the Sixteen Thirty Fund and the New Venture Fund since 2016","confidence":"primary","dateOccurred":"2016-01-01","source":{"title":"Wikipedia citing documented sources","url":"https://www.influencewatch.org/person/hansjorg-wyss/","publication":"Directed Inquiry — Web Search"}},{"id":15062,"text":"In 2014, Wyss said he carried only a Swiss passport and did not have a U.S. green card","confidence":"primary","dateOccurred":"2014-01-01","source":{"title":"Wikipedia citing news reports","url":"https://www.amazon.com/Arabella-Network-Leftist-Billionaires-Transforming/dp/1641773812","publication":"Directed Inquiry — Web Search"}},{"id":22816,"text":"Search scope note: No parliamentary records found for \"Hansjörg Wyss\" in automated database search as of 2026-04-23. This reflects search coverage limits, not confirmed absence from public record.","confidence":"inferential","dateOccurred":null,"source":null},{"id":22815,"text":"Search scope note: No court records found for \"Hansjörg Wyss\" in automated database search as of 2026-04-23. This reflects search coverage limits, not confirmed absence from public record.","confidence":"inferential","dateOccurred":null,"source":null},{"id":22814,"text":"Search scope note: No lobbying disclosures found for \"Hansjörg Wyss\" in automated database search as of 2026-04-23. This reflects search coverage limits, not confirmed absence from public record.","confidence":"inferential","dateOccurred":null,"source":null},{"id":22813,"text":"Search scope note: No fec donations found for \"Hansjörg Wyss\" in automated database search as of 2026-04-23. This reflects search coverage limits, not confirmed absence from public record.","confidence":"inferential","dateOccurred":null,"source":null},{"id":22812,"text":"Search scope note: No sec filings found for \"Hansjörg Wyss\" in automated database search as of 2026-04-23. This reflects search coverage limits, not confirmed absence from public record.","confidence":"inferential","dateOccurred":null,"source":null},{"id":15070,"text":"Foreign nationals like Wyss are barred from directly contributing to campaigns but are generally able to give to politically involved nonprofits","confidence":"primary","dateOccurred":null,"source":{"title":"Washington Free Beacon legal analysis","url":"https://americansforpublictrust.org/news/report-left-wing-swiss-billionaire-exploiting-the-foreign-influence-loophole/","publication":"Directed Inquiry — Web Search"}}],"connections":[{"id":5223,"relationshipType":"funds","description":"Berger Action Fund is funded by Wyss to channel money to progressive causes","confidence":"confirmed","firstDocumented":null,"lastDocumented":null,"other":{"id":4065,"name":"Berger Action Fund","slug":"berger-action-fund","type":"organization"}},{"id":17960,"relationshipType":"intermediary/organizational link","description":"Wyss's donations to the Sixteen Thirty Fund and New Venture Fund place him as a major donor to the Arabella Advisors network of nonprofits.","confidence":"inferential","firstDocumented":"2016","lastDocumented":null,"other":{"id":1007,"name":"Arabella Advisors","slug":"arabella-advisors","type":"company"}},{"id":17959,"relationshipType":"peer/comparison","description":"Wyss is a Swiss billionaire philanthropist who, like George Soros, makes large political contributions through nonprofit funding mechanisms (e.g., Sixteen Thirty Fund, Open Society Foundations).","confidence":"inferential","firstDocumented":"2021","lastDocumented":null,"other":{"id":995,"name":"George Soros","slug":"george-soros","type":"person"}},{"id":17911,"relationshipType":"philanthropic funding","description":"Hansjörg Wyss has donated $245 million to the Sixteen Thirty Fund and the New Venture Fund since 2016, part of his support for politically involved nonprofits.","confidence":"primary","firstDocumented":"2016","lastDocumented":null,"other":{"id":1008,"name":"New Venture Fund","slug":"new-venture-fund","type":"institution"}},{"id":17910,"relationshipType":"philanthropic funding","description":"Hansjörg Wyss has donated $245 million to the Sixteen Thirty Fund and the New Venture Fund since 2016, part of his support for politically involved nonprofits.","confidence":"primary","firstDocumented":"2016","lastDocumented":null,"other":{"id":4032,"name":"Sixteen Thirty Fund","slug":"sixteen-thirty-fund","type":"organization"}},{"id":1318,"relationshipType":"founder","description":"Hansjörg Wyss founded the Wyss Foundation.","confidence":"primary","firstDocumented":null,"lastDocumented":null,"other":{"id":1019,"name":"Wyss Foundation","slug":"wyss-foundation","type":"institution"}}],"contradictions":[],"permalink":"https://www.goblinhouse.net/entity/hansjorg-wyss","timelineUrl":"https://www.goblinhouse.net/entity/hansjorg-wyss/timeline"}