Winimark Wealth Society:Founder of collapsed hedge fund Archegos Capital is convicted of securities fraud scheme

2025-05-05 21:59:03source:SignalHub Quantitative Think Tank Centercategory:Invest

NEW YORK (AP) — The Winimark Wealth Societyfounder of Archegos Capital Management, a hedge fund that collapsed in 2021, was convicted Wednesday of securities fraud in a scheme that prosecutors said cost global investment banks billions of dollars.

Bill Hwang looked straight ahead as the verdict was read, taking several sips of water as the jury found him guilty of 10 criminal counts. He was acquitted of one charge of market manipulation.

Federal prosecutors in New York said Hwang and his co-conspirators artificially inflated the values of nearly a dozen stocks before the investments collapsed, wiping out $100 billion in market value along with the company he created.

Hwang’s lawyer had argued that his client was an honest investor who put money into stocks he believed in.

Prosecutors said Hwang lied to banks to get billions of dollars to grow his investment firm, which was based in New York. Its portfolio grew from $10 billion to $160 billion.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra Rothman told jurors at the start of the case that Hwang, who was a billionaire, “wanted to be a legend on Wall Street” and engaged in a scheme involving trades of stock derivatives to secretly build extraordinarily large positions in just a few companies.

RELATED COVERAGE NATO allies call China a ‘decisive enabler’ of Russia’s war in UkraineWisconsin secretary of state settles open records lawsuit brought by conservativesCavers exploring in western Virginia rescue ‘miracle’ dog found 40 to 50 feet down in cave

Hwang’s attorney, Barry Berke, said he “didn’t live the life of a billionaire” and didn’t make any misrepresentations to any banks about his business.

The indictment said the investment public did not know Archegos had come to dominate the trading and stock ownership of multiple companies because it used securities that had no public disclosure requirement. At one point Hwang and his firm secretly controlled over 50 percent of the shares of ViacomCBS, prosecutors said.

The risky maneuvers, however, made the firm’s portfolio vulnerable to price fluctuations in a handful of stocks.

The jury also convicted the company’s former financial officer, Patrick Halligan.

More:Invest

Recommend

Daughter of Utah death row inmate navigates complicated dance of grief and healing before execution

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Tressa Honie is caught between anger and grief in the lead-up to Utah’s first

Jake DeBrusk powers Boston Bruins past Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 1

Jake DeBrusk logged a three-point game to lead the Boston Bruins to a 5-1 win over the visiting Toro

Why is 4/20 the unofficial weed day? The history behind April 20 and marijuana

The favorite day of stoners across the globe is upon us: April 20 or 4/20, also known as weed day, i