getting "color" from the fund managersQuote from rufus_4000:
Now, I know I am with the minority of hedge fund industry here, but bear with me.
I have been on both sides, with a few hedge funds and one fairly big prime broker. It is very easy to commit hedge fund fraud, it is substantially easier for a hedge fund to fake a set of results than a mutual fund, or even a REIT, and that's the troubling part. It is generally impossible to extract good information from the fund unless you are a significant investor (i.e., an institution, rather than a poor high-net-worth person investing the minimum of $250k), or have some personal relationship. If a HNW doesn't have access to the proper channels, they would have to trust the offering memorandum at face value, and that's quite dangerous.
Now, I am not certain that more HF regulation will make the industry more transparent. If anything, this will just push up the HF legal fees in generating more intermediate entities to avoid outright disclosure (i.e., much more complex than your standard master-feeder structure). Which is why myself, and I would advice anybody that listens, to avoid small hedge funds of <$50M, or at least try to get a personal referral to the fund (to get more "color" from the fund managers), regardless of the claimed return level.
you know, if I ever get into this industry, I'll lock-up the money for 2-years, and I don't want to hear from any piquancy, neurotic pig-rich investors.
they'd NEVER be able to contact me directly to say "Boo!"
you think I'm going to baby sit and hand-hold these dumbfcks???
no way.
when the two-years is up, the fund is open again, the fund's administrators cut the checks to the interest-holders, and cuts me my check. I take a few weeks vacation then start the whole process over again.
that's how I want it. and that's how it will be.
I can do this because I trade the forex - successfully.
*buffs his nails*
Coinz