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Falcone Investments
Philip Falcone's single-family office manages wealth from his Harbinger Capital short of the subprime mortgage market.
Falcone Investments
Falcone Investments is the private investment vehicle for Philip Falcone, the hedge fund manager who rose to prominence at Harbinger Capital Partners. After generating 116% returns in 2007 by shorting the subprime mortgage market, Falcone converted his hedge fund into a family office structure following a contentious 2013 settlement with the SEC over market manipulation charges. The office now manages the wealth he retained after the unwind of Harbinger's public funds. Falcone deploys capital across a mix of direct real estate, distressed credit, and select media properties. His real estate footprint includes ownership of several large-scale residential and development parcels, notably in the US Northeast and the Caribbean. On the credit side, Falcone has historically focused on distressed and event-driven situations, a discipline he carried forward from his Harbinger days. A notable media investment was his backing of the relaunch of Life magazine through a licensing arrangement with Meredith Corporation, though the venture was short-lived. He has also been linked to mining and natural resource bets through his prior ownership of Ferrous Resources, a Brazilian iron ore company. Falcone operates the office primarily from New York, with additional investment exposure in the Bahamas, where he has maintained a residence. The team size is not publicly disclosed, but the structure resembles a lean family office rather than a multi-fund manager. In recent years, the firm's known activity has centered on private real estate transactions, including in 2023 the reported sale of a penthouse at the Plaza Hotel for a significant gain (public record). Philanthropically, Falcone and his wife Lisa Maria have directed contributions through the Lisa Maria and Philip Falcone Family Foundation, with a focus on childhood education and health causes. Falcone Investments represents a rare structure: a former activist hedge fund manager operating a quiet, concentrated single-family office. Unlike peers who institutionalized post-hedge-fund, Falcone runs a lean operation with no external LP reporting. The office bears the legacy of a career built on high-conviction bets and large-scale distressed positions, now executed solely for the benefit of the founding family.
General information
Firm type
Single Family Office
Year founded
—
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
New York
Corporate office
New York, NY, United States
Principals
Philip Falcone
Principal
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
How did Philip Falcone accumulate the capital managed by this family office?
Philip Falcone built his fortune as the founder and chief investment officer of Harbinger Capital Partners. The firm's flagship fund returned 116% in 2007, primarily by shorting the US subprime mortgage market through credit default swaps, netting Falcone a personal payday estimated at $2.7 billion. After a 2013 settlement with the SEC and the subsequent conversion of Harbinger's public funds, Falcone pivoted to managing his own wealth.
What is the current investment posture of Falcone Investments?
Falcone Investments operates as a concentrated single-family office, focusing on direct real estate acquisitions, distressed credit, and select media and resource investments. Unlike a fund manager, the office does not report to external limited partners and can deploy capital without liquidity constraints. Known positions have included high-end residential real estate in New York and the Bahamas, as well as legacy credit and mining holdings.
Does Falcone Investments still operate like a hedge fund?
No. After settling with the SEC in 2013 and unwinding Harbinger Capital Partners' external funds, Falcone converted his operation into a single-family office. The entity no longer manages outside capital or reports to external LPs. It now functions solely to manage the Falcone family's assets, though the concentrated, conviction-driven style of its principal echoes his hedge fund years.
What is Philip Falcone's known involvement with media investments?
Falcone has a history of media investment, most notably attempting to revive the Life magazine brand through a licensing deal with Meredith Corporation. The venture ultimately folded. His media exposure has been opportunistic and remains a small part of the broader portfolio, which is dominated by hard assets and credit.
Where is the firm's capital deployed geographically?
The office's primary footprint is in the United States, with a significant concentration in New York City real estate. Falcone has also made investments in the Bahamas, where he owns a residence, and has a history of resource investments in Brazil, including his prior stake in the iron ore producer Ferrous Resources. The current geographic mix tilts toward the US Northeast and the Caribbean.
Is there a philanthropic arm associated with the Falcone family?
Yes. Philanthropic activity is directed through the Lisa Maria and Philip Falcone Family Foundation, which focuses on childhood education, health, and community causes. The foundation is separate from the investment office, a standard governance structure for single-family offices that wish to maintain a clear boundary between for-profit deployment and charitable giving.
How is Falcone Investments different from other post-hedge-fund family offices?
Falcone Investments is notably smaller and more concentrated than peer offices formed by hedge fund managers like George Soros or John Paulson. Falcone did not build out a large institutional team or brand the office for external recognition. The structure reflects a personal, conviction-driven approach with a heavy tilt toward direct real estate and distressed credit, run quietly from New York.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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