Hedge Funds Cost N.Y. Pension Plan $3.8 Billion, Report Says

The state comptroller, who invests $181 billion for two systems covering local employees, police and fire personnel, "has over relied on so-called ‘active' management by outside hedge fund managers," the department said Monday in the 20-page report. "For years the State Comptroller has been frozen in place, letting outside managers rake in millions of dollars in fees regardless of hedge fund performance.

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The DFS report appears to be the opening round in an broader investigation into the management of New York's retirement system, the third largest state fund at the end of 2015. Led by Superintendent Maria Vullo, the department said it was considering potential regulations on fees and profit-sharing "as well as pre-approval of contracts that provide for fees or profit sharing in excess of a certain rate."

The topic is of interest to Governor Andrew Cuomo, who oversaw a three-year investigation of the comptroller's office when he was New York Attorney General. By the end of that probe, former Comptroller Alan Hevesi pleaded guilty to one felony count stemming from a pay-to-play kickback scheme.