Ben Pasternak’s Believe lawsuit resurfaces after Evelyn Ha assault case

Believe encouraged holding tokens during market downturns while promoting mechanisms that did not fully materialise

Ben Pasternak, the Australian entrepreneur known for founding several tech startups including the crypto platform Believe, became the subject of a US class-action lawsuit in 2026 accusing him of misleading investors in connection with multiple digital tokens.

The lawsuit, filed in the Southern District of New York, alleged that Pasternak and associated entities promoted tokens including $PASTERNAK, $LAUNCHCOIN, and $BELIEVE through what investors described as coordinated marketing campaigns that drove speculative demand before sharp price collapses.

Investors claimed they suffered significant losses after token values dropped dramatically following periods of high trading activity.

According to the complaint, the platform allegedly encouraged holding tokens during market downturns while promoting mechanisms such as buybacks that did not fully materialise, contributing to investor losses. The case also alleged that token migrations and structural changes diluted holdings and negatively impacted early investors.

Reports on the filing further stated that the platform generated substantial trading volume and fees during its peak activity, while many retail investors were left with sharply devalued assets. The allegations described a pattern in which hype-driven token launches were followed by steep declines in value.

Separately from the financial litigation, Pasternak was also involved in a high-profile criminal case in New York in 2026, where he was charged with second-degree strangulation and assault in connection with an alleged incident involving his former girlfriend, influencer Evelyn Ha. He pleaded not guilty to the charges, and the case remains ongoing.

Court records and reporting indicate that the timing of the breakup between Pasternak and Ha coincided with the alleged incident, which has drawn additional public attention due to the overlap between his personal legal troubles and the investor lawsuit.