Graham Winfrey

Former Quadrangle chief Steve Rattner has agreed to pay $10m and be banned from appearing before New York public pensions for five years.

Private equity investment in Latin America’s largest economy increased dramatically in 2010, with no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

Former Goldman exec Martin Chavez has co-founded New MainStream Capital, which has $250m to invest.

Capital is flooding into Latin America with Brazil firmly at the centre of the action

The firm has hired Michael Arpey as a managing director responsible for coordination of investor relations, new fund formation and the development of new investor products.

The capital injection is matched by an investment of equal size from New York-based Anchorage Capital Group, part of an expected aggregate $325m capital raise by Central Pacific.

Wellspring Capital Partners’ fifth buyout fund is targeting $1.3bn for US mid-market investments and is expected to close this month.

Quadrangle co-founder Steve Rattner said in an online interview that his involvement in the New York state pension pay-to-play scandal investigation has been the most painful event of his career.

Alan Hevesi pleaded guilty Thursday to a felony charge for his involvement in the New York State Common Retirement Fund pay-to-play scandal. Hevesi is the seventh individual to plead guilty in attorney general Andrew Cuomo’s ongoing pension fund investigation.

The Washington State Investment Board has approved commitments to GTCR’s tenth fund, targeting $3bn, and Southern Cross’ fourth Latin America fund, which closed last month on $1.68bn.