Friday, September 8, 2023

Private Equity: Rascals, Scoundrels, Villains, and Knaves

Less than a month after Donald Trump's term as President expired his former White House Senior Advisor and son-in-law Jared Kushner had incorporated A Fin Management LLC as a foreign limited liability company in Florida.  State records reveal a 2-18-2021 incorporation date.  

A May 2023 SEC filing indicated Kushner's A Fin Management LLC had six beneficial owners, had a sub fund based in the Cayman Islands holding over $3 billion in assets under management.  It also characterized the fund as a private equity underwriter (PEU).

Kushner supercharged the often driven path between White House service and private equity.  Carlyle Group co-founder David Rubenstein blazed the trail in the early 1980's.  Now ubiquitous, one can turn over a rock near Washington, D.C. or New York and find a PEU.

Congressman Jamie Raskin should know that given his district's proximity to our nation's capital.  His concerns about rascal Kushner would have more credibility if he'd raised the specter of  private equity when President Biden appointed his cabinet.  It's chock full of greed and leverage boys (and a girl or two).

Affinity reached its first deal in Israel.  Axios reported:

Affinity is investing $150 million for a 10% stake in the auto services unit of Shlomo Group

Politicians Red and Blue love PEU and increasingly, more are one. The road between the White House and PEUville is filled with rascals, scoundrels, villains and knaves.  Expect more of them, many more...