Adhering to Disclosed Fee and Valuation Methodologies Is Crucial for Hedge Fund Managers to Avert Enforcement Action

The SEC continues to focus on the fee and valuation practices of investment advisers. See “Current and Former SEC, DOJ and NY State Attorney General Practitioners Discuss Regulatory and Enforcement Priorities” (Jan. 14, 2016). Although disclosure does not necessarily cure all potential issues, adherence to disclosed practices is essential. See “Explicit Disclosure of Changes in Hedge Fund Investment Strategy to Investors and Regulators Is Vital to Reduce Risk of Enforcement Action” (Oct. 29, 2015). The SEC recently took forceful action against an adviser that manages several publicly traded funds, alleging that the adviser disregarded fund disclosures regarding calculation of management fees and valuation of fund assets. In the press release announcing the settlement, Marshall S. Sprung, Co-Chief of the Asset Management Unit of the SEC Division of Enforcement, cautioned, “Fund managers can’t tell investors one thing and do another when assessing fees and valuing assets.” This article summarizes the adviser’s alleged misconduct and federal securities laws violations, as well as the outcome of the settlement. For more on enforcement actions involving fee disclosures and practices, see “Full Disclosure of Portfolio Company Fee and Payment Arrangements May Reduce Risk of Conflicts and Enforcement Action” (Nov. 12, 2015); “Blackstone Settles SEC Charges Over Undisclosed Fee Practices” (Oct. 22, 2015); and “SEC Enforcement Action Involving ‘Broken Deal’ Expenses Emphasizes the Importance of Proper Allocation and Disclosure” (Jul. 9, 2015). Management fees and valuation practices are inextricably intertwined. See “SEC Fraud Charges Against Lynn Tilton, So-Called ‘Diva of Distressed,’ Confirm the Agency’s Focus on Valuation and Conflicts of Interest” (Apr. 9, 2015).

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