Byju’s: Ahead of US hearing, Byju’s says it is beneficial owner of $533 million fund parked in US

Ahead of a US court hearing on the whereabouts of the $553 million funds Byju’s had parked in an American investment firm, the edtech company on Sunday evening said its subsidiary in the US remains the beneficial owner of the fund. On Saturday, Byju’s stated that it had no money to pay salaries to employees after just-raised funds through the rights issue were locked (in a separate account) after a dispute with investors. It is not clear if Byjus is the beneficial owner of $533 million, then why it could not use them for paying salaries.

“Camshaft, in its latest submission, has disclosed to the Delaware Court that the $533 million was transferred from BYJU’S Alpha to another 100 per cent Think & Learn owned subsidiary, Inspilearn LLC (a Delaware firm).

“As BYJU’s has indicated previously – the funds continue to remain in a Think and Learn subsidiary, contrary to the false allegation made by a select list of investors before the NCLT in India,” Byju’s said in a statement.

According to reports, the Florida hedge fund has been asked to reveal where the money is located or face possible sanctions from a federal judge on Monday.

“Camshaft, in its latest submission, stated it had transferred the money to a non-US Fund in the name of a 100 per cent subsidiary of Think & Learn, Inspilearn LLC. It also clarified that no limited partners in the Camshaft Capital Fund are related or are any subsidiary of Think & Learn,” Byju’s statement claimed.

According to Byju’s statement, Camshaft, a wealth manager who had managed the funds, disclosed to a Delaware court earlier this week that the money was transferred to a 100% subsidiary of Byju’s.

“This is consistent with Byju’s position that the group entities remained the beneficiary holders of the money, which the lenders have sought to gain information of, citing technical defaults,” Byju’s said. “The latest disclosure dispels fake narratives about $533 million being siphoned off. To be sure, BYJU’S through a US-based single-purpose entity, BYJU’S Alpha, raised $1.2 billion in 2021 to finance international operations.

“The Credit Agreement with the lenders does not prohibit or restrict the usage, movement or investment of funds disbursed. Further, there is no requirement to maintain cash as collateral for the lenders under the Credit Agreement,” the statement by Byju’s said.

“Some predatory bond traders procured the filing of proceedings before the US Bankruptcy Court as part of their campaign to unlawfully accelerate the Credit Agreement. Additionally, unfounded allegations were made by four Think and Learn shareholders before the NCLT last week as they pursued their misguided attempt to unilaterally replace the current board and the CEO, Byju Raveendran,” the Byju’s statement added.