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From “Rifle Shot” Patents to Portfolio Machines

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From “Rifle Shot” Patents to Portfolio Machines How patent acquisition + licensing-first strategies are reshaping litigation finance (2025–2026) Why the patent playbook is changing The classic retail mental model for “patent investing” is a single big case: one patent, one defendant, one huge payout. That can happen, but it comes with brutal downsides: binary outcomes, […]
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LexShares: $2.3M In, $2.3M Out

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42 Cases, 8 Investors, One Platform’s Collapse How my investor group barely broke even on a litigation finance crowdfunding platform The Bottom Line My investor group put $2.3 million into 42 commercial litigation cases on LexShares from 2017-2020. We barely broke even. Total Invested $2,331,000 Members 8 Cases 42 Record 20 wins, 15 losses, 7 […]
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The $208M Rebrand: YieldStreet Becomes Willow Wealth

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YieldStreet → Willow Wealth: Anatomy of a Rebrand When $208 million in losses meets a name change — what veteran investors learned about “democratizing” alternative investments What Was YieldStreet? Founded in 2015 by Michael Weisz and Milind Mehere, YieldStreet positioned itself as a fintech platform that would “democratize access to alternative investments” — letting retail […]
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The Passport Patent Payday: 9 Years to 1.84x

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LexShares Case #644: The Passport Patent Payday An inventor’s RFID technology ended up in every US electronic passport. After 9 years of litigation, the government finally paid. The Numbers Invested $25,000 Returned $45,897 Net Profit $20,897 MOIC 1.84x IRR 9.43% Holding Period 2,458 days The Case In the mid-2000s, an inventor developed technology for securely […]
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The $100M Question

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Background This thought experiment emerged during dinner table conversations with my wife about retirement planning. We discussed everything from where to live and how to invest to how often to visit family. Our conversation meandered in every possible direction until we finally reset with a simple question: “What if, right at this moment, we had […]
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How ‘Senior Secured’ Became Subordinated Scraps

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YieldStreet Law Firm Financing VII: A 6-Year Saga Ending in Default A $15M “senior secured” loan to a class action law firm — how I lost $87,742 over 6.5 years The Numbers Invested $250,000 Returned $162,258 Net Loss ($87,742) MOIC 0.65x IRR (10.28%) Holding Period 2,355 days Target Term 36 months The Investment On March […]
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The David vs Goliath Letdown: $50M Claimed, 1.12x Returned

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LexShares Case #1101: The Copycat Fuel Injection System A small engineering firm proved a €14 billion auto giant stole their technology — but $50M+ in claimed damages became a 1.12x return The Numbers Invested $30,000 Returned $33,710 Net Profit $3,710 MOIC 1.12x IRR 4% Holding Period 1,699 days The Case A Michigan engineering firm developed […]
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The $5 Million Mistake: Rejected Settlement, Total Loss

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LexShares Case #617: The $5 Million They Should Have Taken A retail developer rejected a $5M settlement offer, went to trial, lost, appealed, lost again. Total loss. The Numbers Invested $82,500 Returned $0 Net Loss ($82,500) MOIC 0.00x IRR -100% Holding Period 1,351 days The Case In 2009, a major metropolitan transit authority — one […]
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The Counterfeit Nightmare: Chinese Prison, Zero Recovery

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LexShares Case #321: The Counterfeit Equipment Nightmare A small reseller bought “genuine” equipment from a Fortune 50 company. It was counterfeit. Their employees went to Chinese prison. The lawsuit went nowhere. The Numbers Invested $47,500 Returned $0 Net Profit ($47,500) MOIC 0.00x IRR -100% Holding Period 1,648 days The Case In 2011, a small East […]
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The Trademark Grind: 50 Letters, 4 Years, 1.10x

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The Trademark Enforcement Campaign 15 lawsuits, 4+ years, and a 1.10x return — the economics of volume trademark litigation The Numbers Invested $50,000 Returned $54,970 Net Profit $4,970 MOIC 1.10x IRR 2.1% Holding Period 1,673 days Distributions 5 payments The Case A financial advisor built a nationally-recognized brand around his radio program. His company owned […]
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The Second Million

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My Journey to Becoming a Multi-Millionaire Reaching my first million in 2018 was a milestone that changed everything. What happened next surprised even me: in just three years, I doubled that initial fortune. The journey from disciplined saver to aggressive investor taught me lessons that transformed not just my wealth, but my entire perspective on […]
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The Extended Hold: 16-Month Term, 45-Month Finish, 13% Return

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Short Term Small Business Financing I: The Extended Hold How a 16-month small business lending deal stretched to 45 months — and still delivered 13%+ returns The Numbers Invested $70,000 Returned $87,032.77 Net Profit $17,032.77 MOIC 1.24x IRR 13.12% Target Term 16 months Actual Term 45 months The Investment In April 2018, YieldStreet launched Short […]
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The Monsanto Verdict: $289M Jury Award, 1.70x Return

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LexShares Case #656: The Groundskeeper Who Made History Johnson v. Monsanto — the first Roundup cancer verdict, a $289M jury award, and my small piece of legal history The Numbers Invested $25,000 Returned $42,399 Net Profit $17,399 MOIC 1.70x IRR 29% Holding Period 770 days The Case You probably heard about this one. Dewayne Johnson […]
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The Installment Plan: 31 Payments, 1.69x Over 3 Years

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LexShares Case #1098: The 31-Payment Settlement A medical finance fraud case settled quickly — then took 2.5 years to pay out in installments The Numbers Invested $30,000 Returned $50,703 Net Profit $20,703 MOIC 1.69x IRR 65% Holding Period 1,061 days Payments Received 31 The Case A Florida investor spent seven years building a relationship with […]
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The Pyrrhic Victory: Won at Trial, Lost Money

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LexShares Case #310: When Winning Still Loses Money UKnight v. Knights of Columbus — a $100 million lawsuit wins at trial, but the $500,000 verdict doesn’t cover the litigation funding The Numbers Invested $170,000 Returned $149,937 Net Profit ($20,063) MOIC 0.88x IRR -4.41% Holding Period 1,018 days The Case List Interactive v. Knights of Columbus […]
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The Double Loss: No Verdict, No Lawyer, No Recovery

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LexShares Case #249: A Total Loss What happens when the plaintiff loses at trial, then loses their lawyer The Numbers Invested $50,000 Returned $0 Net Profit ($50,000) MOIC 0.00x IRR -100% Holding Period 1,079 days The Case A landlord leased 18,000 square feet of office space to a county child services agency in Pennsylvania. The […]
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The Startup Vindication: Trade Secrets Case, 1.76x in 15 Months

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LexShares Case #678: When a Giant Copied the Startup A trade secrets case generated 1.76x in 15 months — via a plaintiff buyout The Numbers Invested $150,000 Returned $263,269 Net Profit $113,269 MOIC 1.76x IRR 58% Holding Period 456 days The Case Cosmetic injections are a $4+ billion global market. The problem: poorly trained providers […]
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The Acquisition Exit: 48-Month Term, 21-Month Payoff

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YieldStreet Diversified Pre-Settlement Portfolio XXV: The Acquisition Exit How a platform acquisition turned a 48-month investment into a 21-month win with 13%+ returns The Numbers Invested $250,000 Returned $289,248 Net Profit $39,248 MOIC 1.16x IRR 13.14% Target Term 48 months Actual Term 21 months The Investment In December 2017, YieldStreet launched Diversified Pre-Settlement Portfolio XXV […]
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The Rubber Band Windfall: 2.57x on a Toy Licensing Fad

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LexShares Case #285: Riding the Rubber Band Craze How a toy licensing dispute turned $25,000 into $64,135 in under 2 years The Numbers Invested $25,000 Returned $64,135 Net Profit $39,135 MOIC 2.57x IRR 66% Holding Period 682 days The Case Remember when rubber band bracelets were everywhere? In 2013-2014, loom kits were the hottest toy […]
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The Break-Even Beginning: My First Litigation Bet

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LexShares Case #217: My First Litigation Investment 640 days to break even — and why I consider that a win The Numbers Invested $10,000 Returned $10,000 Net Profit $0 MOIC 1.00x IRR 0% Holding Period 640 days The Case A software company developed a web-based payment platform for transportation companies. A Fortune 500 trucking conglomerate […]
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Beyond The First Million

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Beyond The First Million Reaching the $1 million milestone has fundamentally transformed my investment approach and opened new opportunities in alternative asset classes. This page outlines my strategic shift toward litigation finance and the evolution of my portfolio strategy as I pursue higher returns and accelerated wealth accumulation. Portfolio Strategy Evolution My asset allocation strategy […]
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The First Million

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My Journey to Becoming a Millionaire This is the story of my 18-year journey from arriving in the United States to achieving my first million in investable assets. It’s a tale of strategic job changes, calculated lifestyle decisions, and the power of compound growth through disciplined saving and investing. The Foundation Years (2004-2010) I graduated […]
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The 73-Day Payday: 1.79x in 10 Weeks

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LexShares Case #281: A 73-Day Win How a wealth management fraud case turned $75,000 into $134,295 in under 3 months The Numbers Invested $75,000 Returned $134,295 Net Profit $59,295 MOIC 1.79x IRR 1,741% Holding Period 73 days The Case A professional athlete trusted a major bank’s wealth management team with his career earnings. What followed […]
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From $5,000 to $300,000: A Credit Building Roadmap

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Building a $300K Credit Line: From Zero to Arbitrage-Ready How to build credit history and maximize limits for credit card arbitrage Introduction This post continues from the Credit Card Arbitrage Guide, addressing the second part of Evan’s question: Can you talk a little more about how to get started doing credit card arbitrage, like the […]
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Credit Card Arbitrage: How to Borrow Cheap and Invest Smart

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The Complete Guide to Credit Card Arbitrage How to borrow at 0-3% and invest for double-digit returns using credit card balance transfers Introduction Recently, a reader named Evan asked the following question: Can you talk a little more about how to get started doing credit card arbitrage, like the basics? I just discovered this and […]
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The Midtown Payoff: $100K to $119K in 12 Months

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EVIVA Midtown Add-on Project Paid Off My 1st preferred equity investment on commercial real estate project has completed. It’s 366 days from the time of capital commitment to the repayment of principal and accrued interest. The investment has generated 19.45% IRR. Key Events Date Cashflows Description Aug 30, 2016 Capital Commitment Sep 6, 2016 ($100,000) […]
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The Deal That Never Closed: 36 Days, $3,330 in Cash Drag

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ProudLiving Project Has Been Terminated My second preferred equity investment in a commercial real estate project has been terminated. It was 36 days from the time of capital commitment to the return of subscription. The estimated opportunity loss was $3,330. Funding In September 2016, iFunding announced a $1.4 million, 2-year preferred equity investment in an […]
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