虚开发票超1455万！量化私募平方和投资被处罚

Core Viewpoint - The quantitative private equity industry has been thriving this year, with some firms achieving impressive performance and gaining attention in rankings, but a recent tax penalty has exposed serious issues within a prominent firm, Square and Investment, highlighting potential risks in the industry [1][2]. Company Summary - Square and Investment, referred to as a "quasi-100 billion private equity" firm, has been penalized for tax evasion, with its general manager, Lü Jieyong, involved in issuing fraudulent VAT invoices totaling over 14.55 million yuan, resulting in a fine of 1.67 million yuan [2][3]. - The firm has been under scrutiny as it approaches its tenth anniversary in 2025, with its reputation now at risk due to the tax evasion scandal [5][10]. - As of June 2023, Square and Investment managed approximately 7 billion yuan in assets, with a product mix of around 3 billion yuan in index enhancement and 4 billion yuan in market-neutral strategies [5]. Industry Context - The tax penalty serves as a warning to the entire quantitative private equity industry, emphasizing the importance of adhering to legal regulations to maintain trust and credibility [2][10]. - The firm has seen increased interest in its products this year, attributed to strong performance, with one of its index enhancement products achieving double-digit excess returns annually from 2020 to 2024 [6][7]. - The market-neutral strategy of Square and Investment has also performed well, with one product yielding over 20% in the past year, despite challenges faced by the broader market [7][8]. Operational Insights - The tax evasion scheme involved using external companies to issue fraudulent invoices, allowing Square and Investment to evade normal financial oversight and tax reporting [3][4]. - The firm has made tax adjustments for previous years, including supplementary declarations for rental expenses and salaries, leading to significant tax liabilities and penalties [4]. - The recent changes in the core team, including the hiring of a former senior executive from a well-known quantitative firm, have raised expectations for improved governance and performance [8][9].