Don't forget Money Managers

In the wake of big coverage of late over the collapse of Hanover Finance last week and 25 other finance companies going to the wall, I thought I might revisit a subject that I have covered since I started writing on the Internet.

Doug Somers Edgar, his Money Managers (MM) company and the myriad of companies within that structure-some of them second rate finance companies-that "lend" money to each other have a host of similarities to some of the finance companies that have collapsed over the last 2 years.

Inter-company lending is just one factor that Money Managers uses to not only clip the ticket but to finance risky lending for dubious projects, to companies closely affiliated or part owned by MM interests. Many projects have fallen over, just do a Google search of Doug's full name and you will find a long list, he does when searching for individuals to sue and has landed on Share Investor.

That is where we get to the crux of my column today. We have seen alot of ballyhoo and publicity over the Eric Watsons and Rod Petricevics of this world and their part played in finance company losses, and rightly so, but our friend Doug Somers seems to have been largely lost in the sheer number of collapses.

While other financial collapses have made top of the bulletin news casts and front page mainstream coverage, Doug's MM gets coverage in blogs and weighty financial tomes such as the National Business Review.

I dont fully understand mainstream medias hands off attitude to Money Managers and their money magician former svengali and now minor shareholder, Doug Somers Edgar.

Lets correct the balance here then.

Just this last Sunday 27 July, in the wake of the Hanover collapse, NZ$ 60 million has been put at risk from Money Manager's Totara First Mortgage becoming insolvent and repayments to investors suspended

At the beginning of June 2008, the latest in the massive First Step losses reveals a slowdown in promised repayments to out of pocket investors. There is NZ $38 million lost and $108 million of investors money at risk in the wound down First Step vehicle. Some of the money at risk is owed by a MM owned company Club Finance.

As the economy moves deeper into recession and individuals and companies who have lent money off finance companies and related party lenders, some of them within the Money Managers fold, have trouble paying back money, there will be further losses incurred by investors in Money Managers.

Keep it tuned here.

Related Share Investor reading

Money Managers First Step gives investors the middle finger
Money Managers First Step saga: 3 Story wrap

c Share Investor 2008