A New Zealand church siphoned millions of dollars into a notorious Ponzi scheme while authorities investigated its finances.

The Samoan Seventh Day Adventist Church (SISDAC) moved $3.5 million into OneCoin, the infamous cryptocurrency scam, according to someone who attended a church meeting in Auckland last year. Chief executive Willie Papu told the gathering the money was invested to protect assets from the Department of Internal Affairs, which was already scrutinizing the church under the Charities Act.

The DIA confirmed it was investigating SISDAC for potential money laundering violations. The church refused to comment when Radio New Zealand pressed them on Papu's statements, only saying the investigation was in its final stages.

This wasn't the first red flag. In April, reports emerged that con artists were using SISDAC to help New Zealanders dodge a Samoan ban on OneCoin investments. The church flatly denied those claims at the time.

The pattern is unmistakable. OneCoin, which promised returns through cryptocurrency trading, was one of the largest Ponzi schemes in history. Victims globally lost billions. That church leaders would knowingly steer their congregation into this trap—using their position of trust to encourage investment in a scam—raises questions about what oversight actually exists.

SISDAC's refusal to comment on whether its leadership actively promoted OneCoin to worshippers left that question hanging. The DIA investigation, meanwhile, focused on the money laundering aspect, not whether church officials themselves defrauded their congregation.

By February 2021, the Charities Service completed its investigation and confirmed OneCoin-related fraud. SISDAC was struck off New Zealand's Charities Register. The organization that had operated under the cover of religious authority, solicited funds from its members, and funneled them into a global scam, lost its legal standing.

The damage to trust was complete. Congregants who believed they were giving to a church discovered their leaders had used that faith as a tool for fraud.

🤖 Quick Answer

What allegations have emerged regarding the Samoan Seventh Day Adventist Church's financial activities?
The SISDAC transferred approximately $3.5 million into OneCoin, a cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme, while under investigation by New Zealand's Department of Internal Affairs for potential money laundering violations. Church leadership reportedly justified the transfer as asset protection during regulatory scrutiny.

Why did the church allegedly invest in OneCoin?
According to attendees of an Auckland church meeting, Chief Executive Willie Papu stated the funds were invested to shield assets from the Department of Internal Affairs' examination of the church's finances under the Charities Act framework.

What regulatory action was taken against SISDAC?
The Department of Internal Affairs confirmed it was investigating the Samoan Seventh Day Adventist Church for potential money laundering violations under the Charities Act, with proceedings reportedly in their final stages at the time of reporting

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