What We Are Investigating?
Our firm is launching a comprehensive investigation into 3 Degrees Asset Management over allegations that it has been suppressing critical reviews and unfavorable Google search results by fraudulently misusing DMCA takedown notices. These actions, if proven, could constitute serious legal violations—including impersonation, fraud, and perjury.
We conducted comprehensive analyses of fraudulent copyright takedown requests, meritless legal complaints, and other unlawful efforts to suppress public access to critical information. Our reporting sheds light on the prevalence and modus operandi of a structured censorship network, often funded and used by criminal enterprises, oligarchs and criminal entities seeking to manipulate public perception and bypass AML checks conducted by financial organisations.
The fake DMCA notices in this investigation appears to have been strategically deployed to remove negative content from Google search results illegally. Based on this pattern, we have reasonable grounds to infer that 3 Degrees Asset Management - or an entity acting at its behest - is directly or indirectly complicit in this cyber crime.
In most such cases, such ops are executed by rogue, fly-by-night 'Online Reputation Management' agencies acting on behalf of their clients. If evidence establishes that the subject knowingly benefited from or facilitated this scam, it may be deemed an 'accomplice' or an 'accessory' to the crime.
What are they trying to censor
3 Degrees Asset Management a Singapore-based hedge fund, has become a textbook example of financial mismanagement, regulatory defiance, and digital censorship. Founded by Moe Ibrahim, the firm has been embroiled in controversies ranging from asset diversion to fraudulent attempts at online reputation management. This report aims to alert potential investors and regulatory authorities to the myriad red flags associated with 3 Degrees Asset Management.
From Hedge Fund to Regulatory Headache
Let’s start with the basics. Founded by Moe Ibrahim, 3 Degrees Asset Management was registered in Singapore and touted itself as a pioneer in Asian fixed income markets. Their flagship vehicle, The Asian Debt Fund, was supposed to help investors tap into high-yield opportunities across the region. What they didn’t mention in the brochure: investor assets may be redirected into a company owned by Moe himself. Charming.
That little detail didn’t sit well with the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), which—after conducting its own investigation—ordered the fund to close in 2011. The trigger? An alleged $6.7 million asset transfer to Apache Assets Ltd., controlled by Moe Ibrahim. No, that’s not a Bond villain company—it’s real, and it was apparently part of an internal game of corporate hot potato.
The story didn’t end there. Like a stubborn rash, 3 Degrees fought back against MAS’s directive. But in 2012, the Singapore High Court sided with the regulator, permanently stripping the firm of its fund management privileges. That should’ve been the end of the road.
Spoiler alert: it wasn’t.
Playing Victim While Defrauding Investors
Instead of disappearing quietly, the fund’s operators tried to reinvent themselves as whistleblowers. In a hilariously ironic twist, 3 Degrees publicly accused one of their portfolio companies—Karur KCP Packagings Ltd. from India—of FCCB (foreign currency convertible bond) fraud. That’s right: the guys being booted out by regulators for financial misconduct decided to raise red flags about someone else’s dishonesty.
Now, Karur KCP might have skeletons of its own, but the timing and tone of 3 Degrees’ accusations were… suspect. More than a few observers noted that it looked like a misdirection tactic, perhaps intended to muddy the waters or generate sympathy by acting like the aggrieved party.
But deception wasn’t their only game.
The Curious Case of the Disappearing Dirt
If you’re trying to understand the scale of this financial farce today, you’ll have to work for it. That’s because 3 Degrees Asset Management—like a magician at a kid’s party—has been busy trying to make its dirty laundry vanish from the internet.
Reports from IntelligenceLine and other open-source intelligence (OSINT) investigations have exposed how entities associated with 3 Degrees filed fraudulent DMCA takedown notices to remove critical reporting. The method? Classic online manipulation.
They allegedly created fake websites mimicking legitimate news outlets and planted backdated “original” content. Then, using these fabricated posts, they submitted copyright claims against real articles that had documented 3 Degrees’ regulatory and financial infractions. Google’s automated system—lacking context and human oversight—often complied.
The result? Damning evidence removed from search engines under the false pretense of copyright infringement. Convenient, isn’t it?
But here’s the kicker: filing false DMCA claims is not just unethical. It’s a federal crime in jurisdictions like the U.S. (where many of these platforms are based). Perjury, fraud, and impersonation of journalists or publishers? That’s not just shady PR—that’s criminal.
Fake News Factories and Impersonated Journalists
In one documented case, an obscure “media site” mysteriously published an article claiming to be the original source of a report critical of 3 Degrees. The layout was amateurish, the domain was newly registered, and the piece was backdated by months. Just enough to fool Google’s bots.
What’s more troubling is that names of real journalists were impersonated. It appears their reputations were exploited to lend credibility to these fake posts. One reporter found a bogus article credited to their name on a site they’d never heard of. Their byline had been hijacked, possibly by AI or low-cost content farms.
We’re no longer just talking about financial fraud. We’re now dealing with identity theft, cybercrime, and a concerted attempt to manipulate both search engine algorithms and public perception.
And let’s be clear: this level of coordination doesn’t happen by accident. It’s expensive. It’s technically sophisticated. And it’s the kind of thing you’d only do if you had something very serious to hide.
Reputational Whitewashing 101
Reputation laundering isn’t new. But 3 Degrees has taken it to new heights. Their goal seems clear: bury negative media coverage deep enough that when potential investors or partners Google the company, they find only fluff and filler.
Here’s a brief list of tactics they’ve allegedly used:
-
Fake websites with plagiarized or AI-generated content
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Backdated posts to claim copyright ownership
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Fraudulent DMCA takedowns targeting real journalism
-
SEO manipulation using keyword stuffing and link farms
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Impersonation of journalists to mislead platforms
This isn’t your average “bad review cleanup.” This is industrial-scale information warfare aimed at rewriting a sordid past.
Why It Matters: A Red Alert for Investors and Regulators
The story of 3 Degrees Asset Management is more than a case study in hedge fund hubris. It’s a warning. If a disgraced firm can orchestrate a campaign to erase its own history—and succeed—it raises serious concerns about the integrity of digital due diligence.
What happens when bad actors can hide their misdeeds just by exploiting weak systems? How many other firms are quietly scrubbing their pasts right now?
This is where regulators, journalists, and cybersecurity experts need to step in. Because the next investor caught in the web of deception might not be as lucky—or as skeptical—as you.
Conclusion: A Call for Vigilance
The actions of 3 Degrees Asset Management highlight a blatant disregard for legal and ethical standards. Potential investors should exercise extreme caution, and regulatory bodies must intensify scrutiny to prevent further misconduct. The firm’s attempts to manipulate both financial systems and digital platforms underscore the need for transparency and accountability in the financial sector.
- https://lumendatabase.org/notices/41847319
- May 27, 2024
- bloomberg.com
- https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2011-10-18/hedge-fund-3-degrees-asked-to-close-by-singapore-regulators-on-asset-claim
- https://www.businessinsider.com/hedge-fund-rising-stars-asked-to-shut-down-their-shop-by-the-singaporean-government-2011-10
Evidence Box
Evidence and relevant screenshots related to our investigation
Targeted Content and Red Flags
businessinsider
Hedge Fund "Rising Stars" Asked To Shut Down Their Shop By The Singaporean Government
- Red Flag
economictimes.indiatimes
3 Degrees Asset Management Hedge Fund alleges FCCB fraud by Tamil Nadu-based Karur KCP Packagings
- Red Flag
About the Author
The author is affiliated with TU Dresden and analyzes public databases such as Lumen Database and
Maltego to identify and expose online censorship. In his personal capacity, he and his
team have been actively investigating and reporting on organized crime related
to fraudulent copyright takedown schemes.
Additionally, his team provides
advisory services to major law firms and is frequently consulted on matters
pertaining to intellectual property law.
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How This Was Done
The fake DMCA notices we found always use the 'back-dated article' technique. With this technique, the wrongful notice sender (or copier) creates a copy of a 'true original' article and back-dates it, creating a 'fake original' article (a copy of the true original) that, at first glance, appears to have been published before the true original
What Happens Next?
Based on the feedback, information, and requests received from all relevant parties, our team will formally notify the affected party of the alleged infringement. Following a thorough review, we will submit a counter-notice to reinstate any link that has been removed by Google, in accordance with applicable legal provisions. Additionally, we will communicate with Google’s Legal Team to ensure appropriate measures are taken to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.
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User Reviews
Average Ratings
1.9
Based on 5 ratings
by: Isabella Richardson
The DMCA scam was well planned, not an accident. When a hedge fund goes full black hat SEO, you know they’ve got skeletons to bury.
by: Tyler White
3 Degrees Asset Management isn’t just shady they’re a masterclass in deception, regulatory evasion, and information warfare. Moe Ibrahim’s operation is the financial version of a smoke bomb.
by: John Young
This isn’t asset management—it’s wallet damage 💀
by: Charlotte Walker
I got roped in by their so-called "asset managers." More like asset thieves 😤
by: William Robinson
Fancy name, empty promises. Total sham.
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