---
category: Law Enforcement & Legal
summary: Wagner filed two civil rights lawsuits with the U.S.
tags:
- Person
- Lawyer
- FBI
- LawEnforcement
---

[Ben Wagner](/people/ben-wagner/) was a lawyer from Jackson, [California](/places/california/). He represented [Dave Beavers](/people/dave-beavers/) and other deputies who were exposing corruption within the Mariposa Sheriff's Department. Wagner played a key role in forming [D.I.G. (Decency in Government)](/organizations/dig-decency-in-government/), an organization dedicated to exposing this corruption.[^1]

Wagner filed two civil rights lawsuits with the U.S. District Court in Fresno, which were later described as the largest civil rights lawsuits in [California](/places/california/) history. He also filed a Writ of Mandamus against [John Van de Kamp](/people/john-van-de-kamp/), the State Attorney General; [George Vinson](/people/george-vinson/), regional director of the Fresno [FBI](/organizations/federal-bureau-of-investigation/); [George Deukemejian](/people/george-deukemejian/), then Governor of [California](/places/california/); and [David F. Levi](/people/david-f-levi/), United States Attorney, for their alleged refusal to investigate corruption in Mariposa County.[^1]

Wagner was reportedly carrying a gun both inside and outside Mariposa for the first time in his life due to the nature of his work. He wrote letters to the Attorney General, the [FBI](/organizations/federal-bureau-of-investigation/), and President [Ronald Reagan](/people/ronald-reagan/) seeking help. A special agent from the Fresno [Department of Justice](/organizations/department-of-justice/), Division of Law Enforcement, informed Wagner that everything pertaining to Mariposa was being "trashed" at the Attorney General's office, and advised him to proceed with the lawsuit.[^1]

Shortly before his first scheduled court appearance on behalf of D.I.G., Wagner received an obscure response from "Chuck" at the [Reagan](/people/ronald-reagan/) White House. The day after meeting with "Chuck," Wagner, along with [Jerry Goldberg](/people/jerry-goldberg/), reportedly disappeared, unplugging his phone and leaving his law practice and home, never to be seen again.[^1]

---

[^1]: Seymour, Cheri. *The Last Circle: Danny Casolaro’s Investigation into the Octopus and the PROMIS Software Scandal*. First Edition. TrineDay, 2010.