Xin Lang Ji Jin·2025-08-07 09:44Core Viewpoint - The internal conflict at quantitative private equity firm Jingqi Investment has escalated, with accusations against its custodian, China Merchants Securities, for failing to fulfill its supervisory duties regarding significant fund transfers [1][3][4]. Group 1: Custodian Responsibilities - Jingqi Investment issued a risk warning on August 7, accusing China Merchants Securities of not performing its basic verification duties, leading to abnormal fund transfers from its custodian accounts [3][4]. - A specific incident highlighted was the transfer of 5 million yuan from Jingqi Investment's main account within hours on July 2, 2024, which included unauthorized payments such as over 100,000 yuan in "year-end bonuses" and over 700,000 yuan in "information technology service fees" to related accounts [3][4]. - The firm has collected evidence and formally reported the alleged violations to the China Securities Regulatory Commission and the Asset Management Association of China [3][4]. Group 2: Internal Power Struggle - The ongoing internal power struggle at Jingqi Investment began in June, when founder Fan Siqi accused a shareholder of orchestrating a coup during a hastily called shareholder meeting, resulting in his removal from all positions [5][6]. - Fan Siqi, who holds a 36.36% stake, described the situation as a "complete betrayal," as he lost access to critical company systems and communication channels [5][6]. - Despite the internal turmoil, Jingqi Investment achieved recognition as the top performer in the "10 billion to 20 billion scale quantitative private equity performance ranking" for the first half of 2025, indicating a paradoxical success amidst the conflict [7][8]. Group 3: Industry Implications - The conflict at Jingqi Investment raises significant concerns regarding the supervisory responsibilities of custodians in the private equity industry, as the incident has drawn attention to regulatory issues [7][8]. - The outcome of this internal struggle and the related custodial disputes may influence future regulatory directions within the private equity sector [8].