3 Degrees Asset Management

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

• Backdated posts to claim copyright ownership

• Fraudulent DMCA takedowns targeting real journalism

• SEO manipulation using keyword stuffing and link farms

• 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.