The SEC is charging a former hedge fund manager with fraudulently taking excess management fees from the accounts of fund clients and using their money to remodel his multi-million dollar home and buy a Porsche.
An SEC Enforcement Division investigation found that the individual improperly withdrew more than $320,000 from a hedge fund he managed for San Francisco-based investment advisory firm WestEnd Capital Management LLC. While WestEnd disclosed to clients the withdrawal of annual management fees of 1.5 percent of each investor’s capital account balance, the individual actually withdrew amounts that far exceeded that percentage. He then transferred the money to personal bank accounts so he could spend it freely. His misconduct occurred for a two-year period until he ceased misappropriating fund assets when the SEC began an examination of WestEnd in April 2012.
WestEnd, which expelled the individual and reimbursed the hedge fund once it became aware of his scheme, is being charged separately by the SEC for failing to effectively supervise him. The firm agreed to pay a $150,000 penalty to settle the SEC’s charges.
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