Blueprint Capital Advisors, one of the few investment firms founded by an African American executive, charged in a lawsuit that DOI officials told its CEO, Jacob Walthour Jr., that the agency had an aversion to choosing a Black- or female-owned money management firm. Interested in selling your land? Please subscribe today to NJ.com. All Rights Reserved. Your $499/year EMM subscription includes: Monthly newsletters with the most pertinent headlines of the month. Follow @SaveJersey What happened to Blueprint and Mr. Walthour, over the course of the last four years, appears to be a modern-day lynching and is a stain and a black eye on the State of New Jersey, Rice said. NEWARK, N.J., May 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Blueprint Capital Advisors, LLC, secured a crucial ruling in the Superior Court of New Jersey in Mercer County last week in its public records. Billed as a glimpse into Teslas future, Investor Day was used as an opportunity to spotlight the companys leadership bench. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. 45 Academy Street, Suite 205 Newark, NJ 07102 . We hope that Amon's departure signifies that Murphy, and his AG will allow truth and justice to prevail," said Blueprint CEO Jacob Walthour. It had also been brought to the New Jersey Teachers Union's (NJEA) attention by Blueprint's attorneys that Amon approved a $120 million investment in a fund partially owned by former Trump Education Secretary Betsy Devos. In a statement, the state Department of the Treasury denied it discriminates against minority-owned firms and said it has several programs and initiatives to reach out to minority- and women-owned businesses and fund managers. The division firmly and unequivocally condemns hatred, bigotry and racism in any form and is committed to providing opportunities for minority and women-owned business enterprises to do business with the state.. Since 2009, we have developed. 2C:41-2(c)(Against the DOI, McDonough, Rosenstock, Ajmani, Walsh, and BlackRock), Count Twelve: Racketeering in Violation of N.J.S.A. Blueprint currently sponsors two real estate investment trusts: Blueprint Capital Income REIT, Inc. which encompasses our lending business; and Blueprint Capital REIT, Inc. which develops our rental real estate projects.Blueprint Capital Income REIT focuses on providing stockholders with current income in the form of quarterly dividends whereas Blueprint Capital REIT seeks to provide stockholders with long-term capital appreciation through development projects. This month, we take our annual look at historically Black colleges and universities. has announced it will get its day in court on a longstanding federal lawsuit against BlackRock Inc. and Owl Rock Capital Corp. (now BlueOwl Capital Inc.). Name * First Name. In an unexpected twist today, Division of Investment Director Corey Amon resigned. The radiocentric structure of Argentina has its apex in Buenos Aires. A spokesperson for the New Jersey Treasury Department argued that the department is committed to providing opportunities for Minority and Women-owned business enterprises, and said the department will defend against the lawsuit. The Department maintains that there is no factual basis for Blueprints allegations and the claims of racial discrimination, retaliation and misappropriation of proprietary information are without merit., BlackRock also strongly denied the charges and said that a review of the allegations from within the asset manager and from outside counsel foundnothing inconsistent with our standards nor anything suggesting any wrongdoing by BlackRock.. But slowing profits in other sectors and rising interest rates are warning signs. This landmark case is about affording equal access and exposing the veil of inequality that exists in the asset management and financial services sector for Black Americans in New Jersey and this country.. The DOI and Cliffwater allegedly conspired to give information that was part of Blueprints proprietary alternative investment program to BlackRock, which unlawfully replicated the program. Capital Advisors Group, Inc. 29 Crafts Street Suite 270 Newton, MA 02458. 2C:41-2(c) and (d)(Against Cliffwater and Owl Rock), Count 14: Fraud(Against McDonough, MacDonald, Rosenstock, Amon, Cliffwater, and Walsh), Count 15: Aiding and Abetting Fraud(Against BlackRock and Owl Rock), Count 16: Unfair Competition(Against BlackRock, Cliffwater, and Owl Rock), Count 17: Breach of Contract(Against Cliffwater), Count 18: Breach of Contract(Against Walsh), Count 19: Breach of Fiduciary Duty(Against Walsh), Count 20: Tortious Interference with Prospective Economic Advantage(Against McDonough, MacDonald, Rosenstock, Amon, Ajmani, Greene and Platkin in theirindividual capacities), Count 21: Commercial Disparagement(Against Rosenstock, Green, Platkin, and Cliffwater), Count 22: Civil Conspiracy(Against McDonough, MacDonald, Rosenstock, Amon, Ajmani, Cliffwater, Walsh, and OwlRock), Murphy abandons travel advisory metrics, warns N.J. to avoid interstate travel this Thanksgiving. The conspirators did not even bother to change the purloined programs name, the lawsuit said. On June 23, Blueprint Capital Advisors, a Black-owned asset management firm, sued the state of New Jersey, BlackRock Alternative Advisors and Cliffwater LLC alleging racial discrimination, retaliation and fraud. esgSubNav, Discover more about S&P Globals offerings. /marketintelligence/en/news-insights/latest-news-headlines/blueprint-capital-advisors-sues-new-jersey-2-firms-for-bias-theft-8211-bloomberg-59174740 Blueprint offers builders value-added services during the entire development lifecycle in addition to financing. Distribution and use of this material are governed by McDonough, who stepped down from his state post in 2018 to work for a consulting firm, did not immediately respond to a request to comment on the lawsuit. Buenos Aires is the capital city of Argentina and is located in the province of Buenos Aires. At its founding, Blueprint developed an innovative investment tool to save public pension funds millions on fees paid to money managers. !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)? It was necessary to file this complaint in a court of law, said Jacob Walthour Jr., Blueprints co-founder and CEO. Scroll . Last Name. Blueprint was eventually hired to run money for New Jersey, but under terms that it describes as punitive.. Blueprint Capital Advisors (BCA) is a trusted partner to sophisticated institutional investors in hedge fund and other alternative investment strategies. Cliffwater dismissed the charges as having "no merit," and BlackRock denied wrongdoing on the matter or having any knowledge about Blueprint's prior talks with the state, Bloomberg News reported, citing statements from the firms. PDF United States District Court District of New Jersey Blueprint was later hired to manage some of the states investments, though the lawsuit said the terms were punitive and retaliatory compared to the deals other money managers were offered and the firm made far less than it was originally expecting. Blueprint Capital !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)? Blueprint Capital Advisors (Blueprint) is New Jerseys only Black asset manager firm. Something went wrong while submitting the form. 1962(d)(Against the DOI, McDonough, Rosenstock, Ajmani, Walsh, and BlackRock), Count Eleven: Racketeering in Violation of N.J.S.A. Photocopy permission is available solely through GRLM, LLC, Financial Investment The lawsuit alleges that Helmy and another Murphy aid delivered threatening messages to Walthour prior to the commencement of litigation. Blueprints lawsuit comes as nationwide protests over the killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis had put a spotlight on racial disparities in several industries, including Wall Street investment firms. Get up-to-date investment manager search leads, industry trends and investor profiles. Through its award winning monthly newsletter and resource-centric web site, Emerging Manager Monthly delivers all the industry news and intelligence emerging managers and institutional investors need to stay informed and ahead of the curve on this exciting sector of the asset management industry. The NAACP, National Urban League, New Jersey National Action Network and Chair of the New Jersey Legislative Black Caucus have called on Murphy to investigate the matter. Black-owned asset manager sues NJ for racial bias and theft As they get cheaper, going electric no longer has to be a costly proposition. NY Common Names Interim EM Program Director, Copyright Notice: Copyright 2020 by Financial Investment News (FIN) and GRLM, Blueprint also has failed to provide any evidence that it has to support these allegations, as is clear from the lack of evidence in their complaint. It continued: We will defend this matter vigorously and believe that the claims against Cliffwater have no merit., Corporations Are Agreeing More to CalPERS Diversity Demands, Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Boost Diversity at Asset Management Firms, Diversity Not a Priority for Asset Managers, Tags: BlackRock, Blueprint Capital Advisors, Division of Investment, Governor of New Jersey, Lawsuit, New Jersey, Phil Murphy, racial discrimination, Pennsylvania Fund Debates How Best to Invest in Todays Environment, 702 King Farm Boulevard, Suite 400, Rockville, MD 20850 / +1 212-944-4455 /. GCM Grosvenor Looks To Elevate Emerging, Diverse PE Firms, Emerging Mgrs. Blueprint is Seattles largest buyer of land suitable for single family homes, townhomes and apartments. The case is Blueprint Capital Advisors LLC v. State of New Jersey, Department of the Treasury, Division of Investment et al., case number 2:20-cv-07663 , in the U.S. District Court for the . Blueprint alleged that state agency officials had said the agency would accept Blueprint's proposal, but did a similar deal with BlackRock instead. Copying, photocopying or duplicating this publication Connect Practus, LLP Virtual Law | A Law Practice with a New Perspective LLC. Blueprint Capital Advisors LLC (New York) | Adviser Rankings - wallmine We have investigated the allegations made by Blueprint and have found no evidence whatsoever. 769 likes. We will defend this matter vigorously and believe that the claims against Cliffwater have no merit, the company said. Our 100-page detailed complaint speaks for itself and Governor Murphy should fix this before a Federal court does.. The initial complaints timeline of alleged transgressions began in 2015 during the Christie Administration. News Corp is a global, diversified media and information services company focused on creating and distributing authoritative and engaging content and other products and services. From project sourcing, design and permitting right through to sale, we are with our builders every step of the way. News, 15 West 26th Street, 4th Fl. Designed and Managed by Loebig Ink. November 25, 2020 Count One: Permanent Injunction Pursuant to 42 U.S.C 1983 and 1981, Count Two: Violation of the Fifth Amendment Takings Clause, Count Four: Discrimination and Retaliation in Violation of Section 1981, Count Five: Violation of 42 U.S.C. The complaint also accused named defendants of conspiring to give to the plan to another firm, BlackRock Capital Investment Corporation, which is also named in the complaint. It manages $1.04 billion of regulatory assets for 3 client accounts. infringement subject to liability up to $100,000 per infringement. Whether youre a real estate agent, a builder, or an investor, Blueprint can help. Black-Owned Asset Manager Sues NJ Pension Fund, BlackRock for Racial Blueprint Capital Advisors LLC is a large advisory firm based in New York. Sadly, even today, a Black-owned firm like Blueprint has no voice and to get justice from the powerful Murphy Administration, Wall Streets biggest firm and one of its more influential institutional consultants. in any form other than as permitted by agreement with FIN is prohibited and may constitute copyright Instead, state officials and Cliffwater, a New York-based firm advising the state, gave the information on the FAIR program to BlackRock, the lawsuit said. It accused members of New Jerseys Division of Investment of a hatching a conspiracy to steal a plan devised by Blueprint to reduce the states pension investment fees. Our journalism needs your support. Counsel information for the defendants was not available. NEWARK, N.J., Oct. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Blueprint Capital Advisors CEO & Co-Founder Jacob Walthour, Jr. has been named to ROI NJ's People of Color Influencers for 2021. For Immediate Release. NEWARK, N.J., March 22, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- "Blueprint Capital Advisors stands solidly behind Pastor David Jefferson Sr. Esq.," according to Blueprint CEO Jacob Walthour, Jr. Pastor Jefferson of . A link to the full lawsuit is here, and media coverage on the case can be found here. Get up-to-date investment manager search leads, industry trends and investor profiles. 10/2021 8/12/2022 7:18:30 PM WARNING: Complete this form truthfully. Cliffwater also released a statement saying the consulting firm did nothing wrong. Blueprint was founded in 2015 by Black investment professionals Jacob Walthour and Carrie Pickett. The Biden administration is preparing a new program that could prohibit American investment in certain sectors in China, a step to guard U.S. technological advantages amid a growing competition between the worlds two largest economies. Our projects generally have fewer than 100 units with rent levels targeted at people making 60-80% of the area median income, which is a common definition of affordable workforce housing.Our real estate development activities in the Phoenix area are focused on urban multi-family and build-to-rent communities. "Its time to stop delaying justice," said Walthour. There is an entrenched good old boys network in Trenton and the DOI that has never worked to the benefit of minorities or women.. On June 23, Blueprint Capital Advisors, a Black-owned . In its 102-page amended complaint, the plaintiff expands upon the alleged culpability of Murphy-era figures including Chief of Staff George Helmy, former Chief Counsel Matt Platkin, and controversial Murphy appointee Derrick Green. Located at the entrance to the Ro de la Plata estuary, the widest in the world, it has a privileged geopolitical situation among the rest of the country's cities. They thought it would be wise to use a Black man to lynch a Black man, thereby avoiding the appearance of it being done by Murphy, Helmy, Platkin or [State Treasurer Elizabeth] Muoio, all of whom are white, the amended complaint explains. Get in touch today. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. This month, we take our annual look at historically Black colleges and universities. Cliffwater also denied the allegations in a rebuttal. Must Be Concise, Accurate When Pitching, Dallas Employees To Resume In-Person Next Gen Seminars, Chicago Teachers Considers MWDBE Private Equity Re-Ups, Illinois Teachers Makes Value-Add Real Estate Hire, Chicago Fire Suspends MWDBE Private Equity Search. Must Be Concise, Accurate When Pitching, Dallas Employees To Resume In-Person Next Gen Seminars, Chicago Teachers Considers MWDBE Private Equity Re-Ups, Illinois Teachers Makes Value-Add Real Estate Hire, Chicago Fire Suspends MWDBE Private Equity Search. A Black-owned investment firm sued New Jersey for racial bias on Tuesday, saying officials told it that the states pension was averse to hiring money-management firms owned by minorities. Blueprint Capital Advisors, based in Newark, filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday against the state and six current and former state officials alleging racial discrimination, retaliation and the theft of confidential business information. Prominent New Jersey Pastor Slams National and NJ Democrats for BlackRock Aims To Sink Bias Claims From Black-Owned Firm When Blueprint protested, New Jersey officials allegedly told the company that the State wasnt a fan of doing business with Black-owned or women-owned companies. At one point, though, Blueprint said DOI had promised that the state agency would be investing $500 million in pension money with the Black-run investment operation and that approval was a formality. Trump Atty Joins Race Bias Suit Against BlackRock, NJ Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. A Black-owned asset manager has accused the New Jersey Division of Investment (DOI) of favoring giant investment firm BlackRock in a competition for a contract to run state pension money. Primary Business Name: BLUEPRINT CAPITAL ADVISORS LLC CRD Number: 282327 Other-Than-Annual Amendment - All Sections Rev. Newark, N.J.-based asset management firm Blueprint Capital Advisors LLC sued the State of New Jersey Division of Investment, investment consultant Cliffwater LLC and New York-based BlackRock Inc. for alleged racial discrimination and theft of confidential business information, Bloomberg News reported June 23, citing a complaint filed in federal court in New Jersey. Blueprint Capital Advisors is one of the few U.S. investment firms founded by African-Americans. Ohio STRS Loses 9.52% in 2022, Board Rejects Neville Vote of Confidence, Stocks, BondsHah! When Blueprint repeatedly complained, the state retaliated by barring it from obtaining more work managing other investments, according to the lawsuit, which was filed by employment law firm Wigdor on Tuesday. The Newark firm said in court documents Tuesday that New Jersey's pension office "usurped" its. BlackRock had no knowledge of what, if any, discussions Blueprint might have had with New Jersey prior to approaching us this year threatening a lawsuit, nearly four years after the New Jersey mandate was awarded to BlackRock.. We specialize in servicing institutional investors and wealthy families through discretionary and investment advisory services. Until Freedom to Host Direct Action Urging Louisville Police to Arrest the Cops Who Killed Breonna Taylor, RACE FORWARD COMMENDS BIDEN ADMINISTRATION ON RELEASE OF SECOND HISTORIC RACIAL EQUITY EXECUTIVE ORDER, Ahead of the 2023 State of the Union, Race Forward Urged President Biden to Continue Leaning into Commitment to Advance Racial Equity, In his 2023 State of the Union Address, Advocates Want to Hear How President Biden Will Expand Voting Rights, Address Unfair and Inequitable Redistricting Maps, Black Southern Womens Collaborative Member in Memphis: We Will Not Go Back to the Same Oppressive Systems. This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Blueprint Capital Advisors Gets Court Date In NJ DOI Lawsuit Asset manager Blueprint Capital Advisors sued New Jersey's Division of Investment and BlackRock Inc., claiming they stole confidential business information and discriminated against the. Blueprint advises Integral Senior Living on highly confidential and McDonough also said, If the SIC knew Blueprint was a minority-owned firm, they would not approve the deal, the lawsuit said. Black-owned asset manager Blueprint Capital Advisors will get a court date in a longstanding federal lawsuit filed against the New Jersey Division of Investment and others. Main: (617) 630-8100 Operations: (973) 808-0869 info@capitaladvisors.com. Nor have we found any evidence that BlackRock improperly received any materials or other information regarding Blueprints plans or proposal as alleged, said Mark McCombe, BlackRocks chief client officer. According to the lawsuit, Blueprint had turned over to the state agency and its outside consultant Cliffwater confidential business information from meetings, emails and conference calls as part of an investment proposal. More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23, Kelly Heyboer | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, racial discrimination, retaliation and the theft, McDonough, who stepped down from his state post in 2018. But their proposal was never recommended to the State Investment Council, the government group that oversees state investments, the lawsuit said. The Secure Act 2.0 will help a lot. The 55-page original complaint was filed back on June 23, 2020. New York, NY 10010. According to the legal complaint filed on June 23, New Jersey initially promised to invest $500 million with Blueprint for its FAIR program. The plaintiff specially accuses Green and a second individual of having sent text blasts making the false and defamatory claims that [Blueprint co-founder Jacob] Walthour had been removed as Chair of the Ebony Media Holdings for insider trading, even though they knew these claims were false and had been told they were false., While Blueprint is forging new paths in the financial service sector, they should not have to contend with systemic and systematic racism from Governor Murphy and his administration, added Jay Sekulow of Constitutional Litigation and Advocacy Group (CLAG).Racial and economic justice is everyones fight and anti-racism is not only bi-partisan, it transcends politics. BlackRock and Cliffwater also released statements denying any wrongdoing. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here.