SEC Charges Private Fund Advisor and Owner With Fraud

Posted on September 20th, 2022 at 12:01 PM
SEC Charges Private Fund Advisor and Owner With Fraud

From the Desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has charged Ramas Capital Management (RCM) as well as its managing partner and owner, Ganesh Betanabhatla, over alleged misrepresentations and breaches of fiduciary duty to a privately-managed fund and its sole investor.

RCM and Betanabhatla made several misrepresentations and subsequently misused fund assets, according to the SEC’s complaint. The complaint alleged that the defendants falsely informed the sole fund investor that they had previously raised $25 million for the fund and that a well-known energy investor supported the investment and was included in the fund. Further, the defendants improperly informed the sole investor that the Texas-based fund constituted a special purpose vehicle solely designed to invest in a specific portfolio company, according to the SEC.

However, there were no other investors in the fund while the well-known energy investor was not involved, according to the complaint. The SEC further alleged that after receiving the investor’s $1 million, the defendants instead transferred the funds to a different portfolio company related to one of RCM’s earlier private investment funds. The SEC is seeking permanent injunctions, disgorgement, and civil penalties against both defendants.

Eccleston Law LLC represents investors and financial advisors nationwide in securities, employment, regulatory and disciplinary matters.

Tags: eccleston, eccleston law, advisors, sec

Return to Archive

TESTIMONIALS

Previous
Next

If you are being bothered by the Regulators, call Eccleston Law, you won't regret it.

Rick R.

LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

January 24, 2025
Fidelity to Shift Independent Advisor Cash to Lower-Yielding FCash Amount in 2025

Fidelity Investments plans to redirect cash balances in non-retirement brokerage accounts managed by independent financial advisors to its in-house sweep account, FCash, starting in 2025.

January 23, 2025
Barred Advisor Continues Pattern of Settlements at Western International Securities

Chris Kennedy, a barred advisor formerly associated with Western International Securities, has agreed to a $2.1 million settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over allegations of high-volume trading, or churning, in client accounts.

January 22, 2025
FINRA to Revise Outside Business Activities Rules

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) is seeking to overhaul its rules on outside business activities (OBA) and private securities transactions.