Reuters – Investors, who funneled millions into an Atlanta hedge fund firm, will hire private detectives to help find a missing manager who has been accused of cheating clients out of $100 million ormore, a lawyer said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The group of doctors, businessmen, as well as current and former U.S. football players, are joining the search after state and federal officials failed to find the estimated $185 million that Kirk Wright managed for them and others through his hedge fund International Management Associates.<\/p>\n
A Georgia judge issued a bench warrant for Wright’s arrest three days ago after he failed to show up for court hearings.<\/p>\n
“We plan to hire Kroll, the international investigations, security, and risk consulting services group, today to help the FBI and local authorities who have not located Mr. Wright,” said Glenn Delk, a lawyer who represents several dozen of the fund’s estimated 500 investors. There are a lot of folks here who want to talk to him.”<\/p>\n
The case has drawn intense media attention because the cheated clients include seven current or former National Football League players who worked for teams such as the Denver Broncos and Chicago Bears and because lawyers familiar with the matter said nearly all of the money seems to be gone.<\/p>\n