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March 17th, 2026

PPMs That Scare the Sh*t Out of Me (Real Investing Horror Stories)

  1. PPMs That Scare the Sh*t Out of Me (Real Investing Horror Stories) Aspen Funds 31:34

What should investors actually look for in a Private Placement Memorandum (PPM)?

In this episode, Ellis Hammond sits down with Ben Fraser and Bob Fraser to break down real examples of PPMs that raised major red flags — including unlimited sponsor expenses, huge placement fees, and deal structures that shift risk entirely onto investors.

They walk through what a private placement memorandum is designed to do, why experienced investors focus more on the risks than the upside, and the specific sections you should read before investing in a private deal.

If you invest in Real Estate syndications, private equity, private credit, or alternative investments, learning how to evaluate a PPM can help you avoid costly mistakes.

Have more questions, or want more resources like a tax calculator? Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://investlikeabillionaire.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  to learn more about our community. 

Check out Ben & Bob’s company and invest along at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://aspenfunds.us/

Ben Fraser Podcaster

Prior to Aspen, Mr. Fraser was a commercial lender at First Business Bank specializing in government backed loan originations (SBA & USDA), for one of the top SBA lenders in the nation. Prior to that he was a commercial credit underwriter for Crossfirst Bank, personally responsible for underwriting over $125MM in C&I and CRE loans across a variety of industries.

Prior to that, he worked for Tortoise Capital Advisors, a boutique asset management firm in energy infrastructure investments, and helped grow their institutional managed accounts from ~$3BN AUM to ~$7BN AUM. Ben was responsible for responding to all institutional RFPs from interested institutional investors.

Ben completed his MBA from Azusa Pacific University, and his B.S. in Finance from the University of Kansas, graduating magna cum laude.